In their efforts to completely wipe out the remnants of Boko Haram insurgents and members of the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP), the Force Commander, Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), Major General Godwin Mutkut and the Theatre Commander, Joint Task Force North East Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, have embarked on a joint operational assessment visit to Sector 3 of the Northeast Operation Hadin Kai in Baga, Borno State.
The military, in a statement signed on Friday by the Media Information Officer Joint Task Force Operation Hadin Kai, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, said the visit, aimed at appraising ongoing counter-terrorism operations in the Lake Chad waterways and ensuring optimal use of platforms and equipment deployed in the theatre..
“During the visit, the commanders received detailed briefings from the Commander, 403 Amphibious Brigade, Brigadier General Emmanuel Agada, and the Commander, Naval Base Lake Chad, Commodore Peter Yilme, on measures adopted to secure the waterways, protect economic activities, and deny terrorists freedom of action”, the statement said.
According to the statement, the Force Commander, MNJTF, Maj Gen Mutkut, in his remarks, stressed the need for close monitoring of troops’ performance, effective coordination, and sustained vigilance, noting that the stability of the Lake Chad Basin is in the collective interest of all member nations.
“The success of military operations in the Lake Chad Basin was in the collective interest of all countries bordering the lake, and I urged you (commanders) to sustain vigilance and coordination.”, the statement quoted the Force Commanders.
Also, the Theatre Commander, OPHK, Maj Gen Abubakar, commended the troops’ efforts and urged commanders to maintain maximum alertness, aggressive posture, and professionalism in dealing with terrorist threats.
The theatre Commander further underscored the importance of providing security cover for farming and fishing activities, describing them as vital to livelihoods in the Lake Chad region.
“Troops must demonstrate the highest level of commitment in protecting the waterways to enhance farming and fishing, which remain critical to the survival of local communities,” the Theatre Commander quoted.
He also tasked commanders to prioritise troops’ welfare, strengthen communication channels, and ensure judicious application of operational resources.
The joint visit was attended by Component and Formation Commanders, senior staff officers of the MNJTF and Headquarters Theatre Command as well as the Commander Sector 3 OPHK, Brigadier General Suleiman Tilawan.
Highlights included a tour of operational facilities, signing of the visitors’ book, exchange of souvenirs, and a group photograph.
