Boko Haram Faces Defeat in Borno Border Towns

01 Feb 2015

 Director of Defence Information (DDI), Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade

   

Gamborou Ngala, Malam Fatori, Michika, may have been captured by Chadian, Cameroonian and Nigerian troops
Senator Iroegbu in Abuja

A major coordinated military onslaught against Boko Haram has commenced. While Chadian and Cameroonian troops are approaching Nigeria from the borders, Nigerian troops are moving northward from inside.

The result is that several towns and villages previously controlled by Boko Haram have been retaken given the new fire power of the Nigerian and Chadian troops.

This may have followed a meeting in N'Djamena last week, THISDAY has learnt.

There is also heavy fighting going on in Gwoza, it is gathered.

Nigerian troops have taken Michika and have surrounded Gulak, while Chadians have surrounded Gwoza. The latest successes recorded have been attributed to the arrival of new arms and the use of special forces.

According to military sources, the plan is to recapture all territories so that people can vote.

The military campaign is being carried out simultaneously by troops from the three countries targeting insurgents’ positions.

Gamborou Ngala and Malam Fatori may have also been recaptured in the ongoing expedition by the troops from the three countries.

Though no official confirmation of the successes recorded has been received from the military, eyewitness accounts of villagers fleeing the battle zone said many towns and villages along that axis were being retaken.

The deadly sect has continued to suffer defeat in recent days following the renewed onslaught by the military to recapture seized towns in the North-east. The  Defence Headquarters had on Friday confirmed the recapture of Michika, one of the towns in Adamawa seized by Boko Haram months ago.

The impact of yesterday’s operation was felt in Maiduguri as heavy sound of artillery emanating from the city suburb were heard by residents of  the city  in the early hours of Saturday. Some of the residents said they heard sound from heavy weapons about 5.30am  and that it lasted till about mid-day.

"I heard the first sound. I initially thought it was an explosion but another one followed few minutes later. It continued till about 11.30am," said Malam Ismaila Mohammad, a resident of the city.

The Chadian air force had earlier bombed Gamboru  in an effort to drive out Boko Haram militants and allow troops from Chad to enter the northeastern town. Fighter jets then bombed areas around the town, which is located near Lake Chad along the border with Cameroon. The airstrikes by Chadian forces followed similar bombings earlier in the week intended to displace Boko Haram from parts of the country it has overtaken.

The latest onslaught against Boko Haram is coming on the heels of the agreement from regional leaders from Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger to adopt a coordinated response to the threat posed by the deadly group which has killed about 13,000 people and displaced over one million others.

The military offensive by the three countries marks a new phase in the anti-terror war between Nigeria and its neighbours and may have set Boko Haram on the path of defeat in the captured border towns.
The African Union Peace and Security Council at its 484th meeting, held on January 29 at the level of Heads of State and Government had also adopted a resolution to establish an initial 7,500 troops to combat the Boko Haram insurgents.

The resolution was sequel to a proposal presented to the council by countries in the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) and the Republic of Benin.

The LCBC countries - Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad - made the proposal for the continent to raise troops that could defeat the terrorist group currently expanding to borders of Cameroon and Chad.

But  military authorities have said that they were yet to get the technical details of the African Union (AU) endorsed plan for a regional task force of 7,500 troops to fight the Boko Haram terrorists in Northeastern Nigeria.

According to a top military source, the decision is still at the political level and is yet to get the technical input of the military planners, especially the Nigerian security forces to determine the term of its operation.

The source said that military had not decided if the proposed force will hold territory or be actively involved in combat operations against the Islamists.

"The issues of AU  mission is still a political one, that is why you see that nobody is speaking to you from the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) .

"They cannot  comment on it because the military is yet to be fully briefed, and it will remain so until the technical details are worked out and endorsed by our own government. It is then we can begin to operate on that basis", the source said.

It could be recalled that the AU leaders during the  Peace and Security Council (PSC) meeting last week agreed to raise a force of 7,500 to bring to an end the activities of Boko Haram.

The meeting presided over by President Alpha Conde of Guinea, said the effort would end the militants, who recently expanded their attacks to the borders of Lake Chad region of Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

According to the report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, Chad and Benin had earlier in the month requested the AU to seek UN Security Council’s mandate for their plan to take on insurgents who are allegedly fighting to create an Islamic state in northern Nigeria.

The AU commissioner for Peace and Security Council, Mr. Smail Chergui,told reporters on the sidelines of an African summit in Addis Ababa shortly after the meeting: “We are thinking of a force of 7,500 women and men which will be submitted to the U.N. Security Council for approval.’’

Chergui hoped that the concept of the force would be better organised and “we can achieve the goal that we are looking for to really stop the killings and these barbaric acts of Boko Haram.’’

He said the African group would meet in Cameroon early February “to draw up a concept of operations and strategy, rules of engagement, command and control, and related issues.’’

According to the arrangement, each of the five nations would contribute a battalion with each contingent to base within its national borders, with operations to be coordinated from Chad.

The report also noted that the endorsement is expected to be ratified at the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government scheduled for Friday morning at the Union headquarters in Addis Ababa.

Meanwhile, the Director of Defence Information (DDI), Maj-Gen. Chris Olukolade, while responding to THISDAY inquiries, said the issues will be handled by the relevant authorities and would be communicated accordingly.

Olukolade however assured that the existing arrangement with the Mulitnational Joint Task Force (MTJF) involving Nigerian, Chadian, Camerounian and Nigerien troops will continue their offensive to liberate the territories held by Boko Haram.

 http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/boko-haram-faces-defeat-in-borno-border-towns/200656/