Military forces in Chad, Niger and Cameroon have continued their
onslaught against Boko Haram, reclaiming more Nigerian territories from
them.
The three neighbouring countries are part of the Multinational Joint Task Force fighting insurgents in the north-eastern part of the country.
LEADERSHIP Weekend gathered yesterday night that Chadian forces cleared the insurgents from Gamboru-Ngala to the north-eastern part of Borno State while men of the Nigerien military overwhelmed the insurgents and chased them out of Malamfatori to the north. Cameroonian forces also cleared Kirawa and Ashigashiya in the eastern flank of the state.
The Nigerian military could not be reached for confirmation of the operation at the time of going to press as a call and text message to the mobile phone number of the Director of Defence Information, Major-General Chris Olukolade, were not responded to.
In another development, a Brigadier-General in the Army, Enitan Ransome-Kuti, his Chief of Staff Lt. Colonel G.A Suru, the Commanding Officer of 134 and 174 battalions, Lt. Colonel Haruna and a certain Major Aliyu, as well as six other senior officers have been arrested by army authorities over their role in the Baga attack.
The two Nigerian Army battalions are under the Multi-National Task Joint Task Force in Baga, attacked by the insurgents.
Baga, a community in Borno State was attacked by Boko Haram insurgents on January 3, 2015, in a manner that has been described as the most deadly, in the history of Boko Haram attacks in the country. The insurgents reportedly dislodged soldiers and took over the town, killing many residents. In the wake of the attack, there were conflicting reports about the casualty figure. While the media reported that over 2000 people were killed in the attack, the military authorities maintained that only about 150 people died in the unfortunate incident.
Olukolade, said the senior army officers were being investigated for allegedly shirking their responsibilities during the attack by the insurgents, despite the sophisticated weapons at their disposal, which gave the insurgents an upper hand.
He explained that the arrested officers were being investigated because at the time of the attack on the multinational headquarters in Baga, Brigadier-General Ransome-Kuti and his men were fully in charge of the military formation, adding that it was disappointing that the attack on Baga was not repelled by both battalions, despite having the necessary weapons to carry out the necessary operations.
Recall that Amnesty International had accused the army of not acting on several reports on the pending attack of Baga, saying the refusal of the army to act was responsible for the high casualty recorded in the attack. But Olukolade in a reaction, described as inaccurate and unfair, the allegation of Amnesty International, saying the report was misleading and inciting.
“Being an area of operation where terrorists are known to be ever looking for the slightest opportunity to attack and perpetrate heinous atrocities, Nigerian troops are conversant with the need to maintain the highest form of alertness always. Every available information is factored into the intelligence that drives every engagement or encounter in any part of the mission area. This standard has not only been sustained but has been incrementally enhanced in terms of capacity, troop’s deployment, coordination, troop’s mobility and protection as well as logistics,” he said.
In a related development, the Defence Headquarters has announced plans to investigate circumstances leading to the initial subjugation of Mubi town in Adamawa state by Boko Haram insurgents sometime last year, a situation which could also lead to appropriate disciplinary action against Nigerian officers in strategic positions of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF).
Olukolade in a statement in Abuja said concerned officers were already in the process of accounting for their actions leading to the loss of weapons, soldiers and Mubi town in the mission area.
He added that the probe was a normal military procedure in major operations, which is meant to extract and collate relevant information for subsequent military operations.
“Nigerian officers in key command positions of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) are in the process of accounting for their actions leading to the loss of weapons, men and location in their area of responsibility in the mission area. This is a normal military procedure in major operations or after encounters. The essence is to extract and collate relevant information for subsequent missions. It could also lead to or determine appropriate disciplinary action where necessary,” Olukolade said.
Meanwhile, he revealed that an extensive mopping up operation to search for arms or stranded terrorists and other casualties is ongoing in Michika town after troops sacked terrorists who have been operating in the town and environs.
“The main assault on terrorists main positions was concluded yesterday as many of them died in the combat. Troops who sustained injuries in the operation are receiving necessary medical attention. Other troops are continuing the pursuit of those who are on the run from the town. Normalcy has been restored,” he added.
AU boosts fight against insurgents with 7,500 Troops
A blueprint has been ratified by the African Union (AU) towards a regional task force of 7,500 army personnel to battle the Islamist Boko Haram insurgents in Nigeria.
The leaders agreed to this after its meeting at the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) session to bring to an end the crisis caused by the militants in the north-eastern part of Nigeria.
Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, Chad and Benin requested the AU to seek the UN Security Council mandate to assist in fighting the Islamist militants who it is claimed are fighting to establish an Islamic state in northern Nigeria.
According to NAN, each of the five nations is expected to contribute a battalion with each contingent to be based within its national borders and operations to be synchronised from Chad.
AU’s commissioner for Peace and Security Council, Smail Chergui, told members of the media after the African Summit held at Addis Ababa, “we are thinking of a force of 7,500 women and men which will be submitted to the UN Security Council for approval.”
The commissioner added that he hoped that the concept of the force would be better organised in order to achieve the goal to stop the killings and savage acts of the insurgents.
He further added that AU would meet in Cameroon early February to design a notion of operations and strategy, rules of engagement, command and control, and other associated matters.
Mugabe emerges AU Chairman
Meanwhile, Zimbabwean president, Robert Mugabe, took over the post of African Union chairman on Friday, replacing Mauritania’s president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.
Mugabe, Africa’s oldest president, aged 90, shook hands with Abel Aziz in front of fellow leaders to applause at the AU summit in the Ethiopian capital.
“By electing me to preside over this august body, with full knowledge of the onerous responsibility that lies ahead, I humbly accept your collective decision,” he said.
Mugabe, a former liberation war hero who is Africa’s third-longest serving leader, is viewed with deep respect by many on the continent.
But he is also subject to travel bans from both the United States and European Union in protest of political violence and intimidation by his government.
Mugabe, a former guerrilla leader who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence in 1980, is accused of crushing opponents to ensure his ZANU-PF party won every election for more than three decades.
http://leadership.ng/news/407999/chad-niger-cameroon-forces-reclaim-nigerian-territories
The three neighbouring countries are part of the Multinational Joint Task Force fighting insurgents in the north-eastern part of the country.
LEADERSHIP Weekend gathered yesterday night that Chadian forces cleared the insurgents from Gamboru-Ngala to the north-eastern part of Borno State while men of the Nigerien military overwhelmed the insurgents and chased them out of Malamfatori to the north. Cameroonian forces also cleared Kirawa and Ashigashiya in the eastern flank of the state.
The Nigerian military could not be reached for confirmation of the operation at the time of going to press as a call and text message to the mobile phone number of the Director of Defence Information, Major-General Chris Olukolade, were not responded to.
In another development, a Brigadier-General in the Army, Enitan Ransome-Kuti, his Chief of Staff Lt. Colonel G.A Suru, the Commanding Officer of 134 and 174 battalions, Lt. Colonel Haruna and a certain Major Aliyu, as well as six other senior officers have been arrested by army authorities over their role in the Baga attack.
The two Nigerian Army battalions are under the Multi-National Task Joint Task Force in Baga, attacked by the insurgents.
Baga, a community in Borno State was attacked by Boko Haram insurgents on January 3, 2015, in a manner that has been described as the most deadly, in the history of Boko Haram attacks in the country. The insurgents reportedly dislodged soldiers and took over the town, killing many residents. In the wake of the attack, there were conflicting reports about the casualty figure. While the media reported that over 2000 people were killed in the attack, the military authorities maintained that only about 150 people died in the unfortunate incident.
Olukolade, said the senior army officers were being investigated for allegedly shirking their responsibilities during the attack by the insurgents, despite the sophisticated weapons at their disposal, which gave the insurgents an upper hand.
He explained that the arrested officers were being investigated because at the time of the attack on the multinational headquarters in Baga, Brigadier-General Ransome-Kuti and his men were fully in charge of the military formation, adding that it was disappointing that the attack on Baga was not repelled by both battalions, despite having the necessary weapons to carry out the necessary operations.
Recall that Amnesty International had accused the army of not acting on several reports on the pending attack of Baga, saying the refusal of the army to act was responsible for the high casualty recorded in the attack. But Olukolade in a reaction, described as inaccurate and unfair, the allegation of Amnesty International, saying the report was misleading and inciting.
“Being an area of operation where terrorists are known to be ever looking for the slightest opportunity to attack and perpetrate heinous atrocities, Nigerian troops are conversant with the need to maintain the highest form of alertness always. Every available information is factored into the intelligence that drives every engagement or encounter in any part of the mission area. This standard has not only been sustained but has been incrementally enhanced in terms of capacity, troop’s deployment, coordination, troop’s mobility and protection as well as logistics,” he said.
In a related development, the Defence Headquarters has announced plans to investigate circumstances leading to the initial subjugation of Mubi town in Adamawa state by Boko Haram insurgents sometime last year, a situation which could also lead to appropriate disciplinary action against Nigerian officers in strategic positions of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF).
Olukolade in a statement in Abuja said concerned officers were already in the process of accounting for their actions leading to the loss of weapons, soldiers and Mubi town in the mission area.
He added that the probe was a normal military procedure in major operations, which is meant to extract and collate relevant information for subsequent military operations.
“Nigerian officers in key command positions of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) are in the process of accounting for their actions leading to the loss of weapons, men and location in their area of responsibility in the mission area. This is a normal military procedure in major operations or after encounters. The essence is to extract and collate relevant information for subsequent missions. It could also lead to or determine appropriate disciplinary action where necessary,” Olukolade said.
Meanwhile, he revealed that an extensive mopping up operation to search for arms or stranded terrorists and other casualties is ongoing in Michika town after troops sacked terrorists who have been operating in the town and environs.
“The main assault on terrorists main positions was concluded yesterday as many of them died in the combat. Troops who sustained injuries in the operation are receiving necessary medical attention. Other troops are continuing the pursuit of those who are on the run from the town. Normalcy has been restored,” he added.
AU boosts fight against insurgents with 7,500 Troops
A blueprint has been ratified by the African Union (AU) towards a regional task force of 7,500 army personnel to battle the Islamist Boko Haram insurgents in Nigeria.
The leaders agreed to this after its meeting at the African Union Peace and Security Council (PSC) session to bring to an end the crisis caused by the militants in the north-eastern part of Nigeria.
Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, Chad and Benin requested the AU to seek the UN Security Council mandate to assist in fighting the Islamist militants who it is claimed are fighting to establish an Islamic state in northern Nigeria.
According to NAN, each of the five nations is expected to contribute a battalion with each contingent to be based within its national borders and operations to be synchronised from Chad.
AU’s commissioner for Peace and Security Council, Smail Chergui, told members of the media after the African Summit held at Addis Ababa, “we are thinking of a force of 7,500 women and men which will be submitted to the UN Security Council for approval.”
The commissioner added that he hoped that the concept of the force would be better organised in order to achieve the goal to stop the killings and savage acts of the insurgents.
He further added that AU would meet in Cameroon early February to design a notion of operations and strategy, rules of engagement, command and control, and other associated matters.
Mugabe emerges AU Chairman
Meanwhile, Zimbabwean president, Robert Mugabe, took over the post of African Union chairman on Friday, replacing Mauritania’s president Mohamed Ould Abdel Aziz.
Mugabe, Africa’s oldest president, aged 90, shook hands with Abel Aziz in front of fellow leaders to applause at the AU summit in the Ethiopian capital.
“By electing me to preside over this august body, with full knowledge of the onerous responsibility that lies ahead, I humbly accept your collective decision,” he said.
Mugabe, a former liberation war hero who is Africa’s third-longest serving leader, is viewed with deep respect by many on the continent.
But he is also subject to travel bans from both the United States and European Union in protest of political violence and intimidation by his government.
Mugabe, a former guerrilla leader who has ruled Zimbabwe since independence in 1980, is accused of crushing opponents to ensure his ZANU-PF party won every election for more than three decades.
http://leadership.ng/news/407999/chad-niger-cameroon-forces-reclaim-nigerian-territories
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