This is contained in a statement issued by Chief of Military Public Information, MNJTF, Lt.-Col, Kamarudeen Adegoke, from the MNJTF Headquarters in N’Djamena, Chad on Tuesday.
The African Union (AU) has donated military equipment to boost the counter-insurgency operations of the Multinational Joint Task Force in the Lake Chad region.
This is contained in a statement issued by Chief of Military Public Information, MNJTF, Lt.-Col, Kamarudeen Adegoke, from the MNJTF Headquarters in N’Djamena, Chad on Tuesday.
Adegoke said the donation of the equipment was done through the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC).
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the donated equipment includes Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs); troop-carrying vehicles, buses, high calibre generators, Counter Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) equipment, and office equipment.
He said the equipment was handed over to the recipients’ Troops Contributing Countries (TCCs) of Nigeria, Niger, and Chad after the necessary paperwork and authorisation by the AU.
According to him, the approval comes after the visit of the Force Commander, MNJTF, Maj.-Gen Abdul Khalifah Ibrahim to the AU Continental Logistics Base in Doula, Cameroon in November 2021 where he inspected and identified various equipment that would be useful in its counter-insurgency operations.
“The Force Commander in company of the Theatre Commander (TC), Operation Hadin Kai, Maj.-Gen. Christopher Musa, formally handed over the equipment to Sector 3 of the MNJTF on July 13 in Maimalari Military Cantonment, Maiduguri in Borno.
“The items were received by the Commander Sector 3 Maj.-Gen. GM Mutkut at the headquarters in Monguno, North East Nigeria,” he said.
The Force Commander Maj.-Gen. Khalifah said the equipment was given to the sector to improve their combat efficiency in war zones.
Khalifah praised the doggedness of the Sector in the course of Operation Lake Sanity, urging them to do more.
The Theatre Commander, Maj.-Gen. Musa appreciated the AU for the donations, saying with such donations, the North East operational environment would soon be secured.
He said the new equipment would allow the forces to concentrate on other security-challenged areas in the country.
The Commander of Sector 3 promised that the equipment would be well maintained and deployed effectively against terrorists.