Boko Haram: Non- compliant Chad Leaves MNJT, Contiguous Border in Jeopardy
No 100 soldiers missing, says Nigerian Army Four more sect leaders arrested in Yobe, Borno
The alleged reluctance of Chad to station its forces along its contiguous border with other member countries of the LCBC is said to be jeopardising…
The alleged reluctance of Chad to station its forces along its contiguous border with other member countries of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) is said to be jeopardising the effective operations of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJT), which was recently reactivated to checkmate the activities of the Boko Haram sect.
This is coming as the Nigerian Army denied report that it lost over 100 soldiers to Boko Haram attack.
Sources within military circles have expressed concern over the reticent attitude of Chad Republic in the ongoing counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency war against Boko Haram in the North-east.
In line with the arrangement establishing the MNTF, each member country including Nigeria, Chad, Niger Republic and Cameroun were expected to contribute troops towards effective control of the contiguous borders aimed at stopping easy movement of terrorists.
“This has however proved difficult because Chad have pulled away from their borders and has not contributed troops for the effective operation of MNJTF. As it stands now, its like Nigeria is still practically piloting the whole process as Cameroun and Niger Republic are also busy dealing with increasing Boko Haram attacks within their respective territories,” a source explained.
This latest development was confirmed yesterday by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Abayomi Olonisakin, who said that Chadian government are yet to contribute the needed troops to man their side of the common borders.
Olonisakin disclosed this while fielding questions from journalists after meeting with the Nigerien Defence team led by their Joint Chief of Staff, Gen. Seyni Garba.
He admitted that they were having issues with the Chadians but the military authorities are working round the clock to address the issue.
He said: “The troops for the MNJTF are drawn from five nations; Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroun and Benin Republic. Most of the troops have been deployed especially from Niger which is in the same sector with Nigeria and they are performing their roles effectively.
“The importance of this meeting is to deepen our collaboration, our cooperation and coordination to ensure that the menace of terrorism is brought to a logical conclusion soonest.
“Most of the countries in the MNJTF arrangement have deployed troops except for areas relating to Chad. They are having some issues which we are addressing, the commander of the MNJTF have gone round the countries involved in this operation to ensure that they are well deployed in their location.”
The CDS said the visit of his Nigerien counterpart was timely in that it would provide both countries the opportunity interact and restragise on their bilateral relationship focusing on joint “capacity development, joint operations, and operational visits amongst others.”
Olonisakin expressed hope that the issues with the neighbouring Francophone countries would be resolved towards ending the Boko Haram insurgency in the sub-region and within the deadline directed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Earlier, Garba who lead the Nigerien team, expressed optimism that insurgency can be defeated in the next one month, adding “it is already a year now, Boko Haram have lost territories they were previously in control of.”
He noted that even though the terrorists group still have the capacity to cause havoc, their ability had greatly been degraded, forcing them to adopting guerrilla tactics.
“They have been degraded to an extent, even if they still had the capacity to wreak havoc. They are not as deadly as they were a year ago.
Today, Garba added, the tempo of the fight has changed because the insurgents now use IEDs. “Our visit is to consolidate on what we have jointly achieved, we want to see how coordination, collaboration and cooperation can do to finally defeat the terrorists,” he stated.
In a related development, the Nigerian Army has debunked the reports that more than 100 soldiers from the 157 Battalion are missing following a daring attack by Boko Haram insurgents at Gudunbali, Borno State on Wednesday.
An online newspaper had
reported that 105 soldiers were lost in an attack on Monday by insurgents in Gulumba, in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State.
But addressing a press conference in Maiduguri yesterday, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Major General Yusha’u Abubakar, said there was no truth in the report
He said it was just a rumour on the social media and should not be taken seriously as it was “rumour and unofficial, incredible, unreliable, baseless and unfounded as no officer has reported such matter to me or any senior military officer yet as far as I am concerned and to the best of my knowledge.”
He however admitted that there was a heavy exchange of gunfire between Nigerian troops and the insurgents in Gulumba but that the casualty figure is not yet known by him.
He however assured that whenever such information reaches his desk he would make it available to the press.
He commended the professionalism of the media practitioners in conflict and war reporting so far in the North-east but asked that they should find a way to check the excesses and unprofessionalism of the social media.
The commander also appealed to the public to support and cooperate with the military as the fight or war is the guerrilla type, assuring that very soon it will come to an end, pointing out that the fight is not only for the military but for all Nigerians.
He said the Nigerian troops have continually made success in the counter-insurgency operation in the North-east.
He said during operations in Borno and Yobe States some arms and ammunition were recovered in the last one week including over 278 live ammunitions, machine guns, AK47 rifles, Improvised Explosive Devices IEDs, vehicles and foodstuff among other items from the Boko Haram insurgents.
He said during crossfire hundreds of Boko Haram insurgents were killed in different locations in Borno and Yobe states by the troops with the support of the air force special squad interdiction missions.
He said during the patrols terrorists camps were discovered and destroyed while number of items were recovered .
He said there is the need to clear the newly liberated communities of debris which may require some time to do by the state government.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army yesterday said three members of the deadly Boko Haram terrorist group on the 100 wanted list were arrested in Yobe State alone.
Briefing the media in Damaturu, the capital of troubled Yobe State capital, the Commandant of the 27th Task Force Brigade, Colonel Dahiru Bako disclosed that one of the suspects was arrested in Jakusko Local Government Area while the remaining two were napped in Damaturu the state capital.
He said the current onslaught on the militants within the state and the entire north east has received so much success with major camps of the insurgents destroyed.
He said presently the military has concluded plans to move the battle into the hideouts and dens of the insurgents and finally rout them out of the country.
Bako said the military took the decision to close down weekly markets in order to cut the supply of logistics to the insurgents which they normally buy from such markets.
He, however, appealed to the people of the state and beyond to partner security operatives by identifying and fishing out the insurgents who are on the run.
The commander also warned the public to be very careful of visitors in their midst and to monitor gatherings by alerting security operatives for prompt action.
On the return of residents to communities liberated by security forces, Bako said: “Buni-Yadi has been liberated of the Boko Haram insurgents but the state government in collaboration with the local government are making concerted efforts to provide all the needed facilities before the return to the displaced communities.
“Most facilities such as electricity, water, market, hospitals among other amenities are no longer in the liberated communities as they have been vandalised by the insurgents, and hence efforts must be made before their return,” Bako stressed.
Also, the police detectives attached to the Borno State Command have arrested one of the suspected commanders of the insurgents, Muhammed Usman.
The Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police in charge of Zone 12 which comprises of Bauchi, Borno and Yobe States, Mr. Tunde Johnson Ogunsakin, disclosed this in a statement he issued to journalists yesterday in Bauchi.
According to him, the suspect who is the serial number 40 on the Boko Haram wanted list was nabbed at ‘Abujan Talakawa’ area in Maiduguri, Borno State capital during ‘intensive cordon and search operations by the police.
“The suspect was arrested on the 15/11 2015 and handed over to the Headquarters of 7 Division of the Nigerian Army for further investigation while efforts are being intensified to track down and apprehend other suspects still at large,” the statement read.