The Nigerian Army on Monday said it had inducted a unit of Cameroon Defence Forces into Operation Lafiya Dole to fast track campaign against Boko Haram insurgents.
Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, the Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Operation Lafiya Dole, disclosed this in a statement issued in Maiduguri.
Nwachukwu said that the Cameroonian forces were inducted on Sunday at Gwoza, by Maj.-Gen. Rogers Nicholas, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole.
Maj. General Rogers Nicholas, Theatre Commander at the induction ceremony in Gwoza
Left, are some of the equipment brought by the Cameroonian troops
He explained that the Cameroonian troops would join the ongoing counter-insurgency operations in the northeast and the borders between Nigeria and Cameroon.
“The Cameroonian troops and their equipment were subsequently handed over to the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 7 Division, who is also the Commander, Sector 1, of Operation LAFIYA DOLE”.
Nicholas was quoted as calling on the troops to be disciplined and demonstrate high sense of professionalism in the discharge of their duties.
He also tasked the troops to comply with instructions by their commanding officers, noting that such attitude would hasten defeat of the insurgents.
The induction exercise was attended by the leader of the Cameroonian Defence Forces delegation, Brig.-Gen. Djonkeb Frederick, the GOC 7 Division, Maj. Gen. Ibrahim Yusuf, and Brig.-Gen. IL Akinlawon, the Chief of Staff, Headquarters, Theatre Command.
The Nigerian military authorities on Saturday declared victory over the Boko Haram terrorists after its troops overran the insurgents’ tactical ground deep in Sambisa Forest.
The troops destroyed several insurgents’ hideouts, equipment, and ammunition and rescued hundreds of civilians while hundreds of the insurgents surrendered.
In a related development, Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor, the Force Commander, Multi National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), has tasked troops to be vigilant to check cross-border terrorism.
Irabor gave the charge while addressing troops of the MNJTF’s Sector 4, Diffa, Niger Republic.
He charged the soldiers to be alert and vigilant in order to avoid surprise attack, and stressed the need for effective surveillance against the Boko Haram insurgents.
Irabor said that the visit would avail him opportunity to assess operational readiness of the troops.
He commended officers and men of the command over their contributions in the ongoing counter-insurgency campaign in the Lake Chad region.
The commander gave an assurance about the command’s continued support and assistance to the troops.
Irabor also visited wounded soldiers on admission at the Sector 4 health facility, Diffa.
The Sector Commander, Col. Noma Dari, briefed the visiting team on the achievements and challenges facing the formation in the ongoing campaign against terrorism.
Irabor was accompanied in the visit by the Deputy Force Commander, Brig.-Gen. Seydou Badje, Chiefs of Cells: Colonels Ngwah Abdoulaye; Sarki Bako, Oumarou Lawali, Seini Yansambou amongst others, said Col. Timothy Antigha, the Chief Military Public Information Officer, MNJTF, in a statement issued on Monday in Maiduguri.