The Force Commander Multinational Joint Taskforce MNJTF Major General Abdul Khalifa Ibrahim says more than four thousand Boko Haram and Islamic State for West Africa Province ISWAP fighters have surrendered to troops in ongoing operation Lake Sanity in the Lake Chad area.
Major General Khalifa stated this while briefing newsmen at the MNJTF Headquarters N’Djamena, Chad republic.
The Multinational Joint Taskforce MNJTF is a regional security outfit established to counter the rising spate of insurgency and terrorism in the Lake Chad area.
The Taskforce comprised of troops from Nigeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon republics with four sectors and headquarters at N’Djamena.
Since the reorganisation of MNJTF in 2015, it has conducted six major operations which include Gama Aiki, Rawan Kada, Amni Fakat, Yancin Tafki 1 and 2 and ongoing operation Lake Sanity.
Force Commander of the Joint Taskforce Major General Abdul Khalifa Ibrahim said operation Lake Sanity which commenced in March this year involves the land, maritime and air operations to rout out Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters hibernating in the fringes of the Lake Chad.
According to him, the Operation has resulted in the resettlement of many communities earlier displaced by the insurgents and resuscitated economic activities around the shores of the Lake.
General Khalifa announced that over three thousand hostages have been rescued while eight hundred insurgents have been neutralised in the operation.
“The fact that we are doing this has allowed freedom of movement, allowed commerce to pick up, its has allowed people to be resettled back to their communities, has allowed people to be resilient and when you aggregate all this, it is helping the border communities and is also helping to end the scourge of terrorism ” General Khalifa said.
Major General Abdul Khalifa Ibrahim called on the authorities of members countries to continue to support the troops with high calibre weapons and other logistics that will enhance the operation.
He also called on the remnants of the insurgents and terrorists groups to lay down their arms and embrace the path of peace.
The MNJTF Commander called on communities on the islands of the Lake Chad to continue to support the military by providing credible information about the activities of the insurgents to achieve sustainable peace in the region.
Cov/Dauda Iliya