The Multinational Joint Task Force MNJTF has continued in its mandate of securing the Lake Chad Basin region while providing a safe pathway for displaced residents to return to their ancestral homes following some major exploits in its operations which have restored peace to the region to a large extent. The region of over 30 million ethnically diverse population is now more than ever before in need of concrete actions that go beyond reassurance from the government to harness its enormous potentials of a combination of dams for increased irrigation, since climate change, and reduced rainfall are causing water shortages, contributing to terrorism and the rise of Boko Haram in the region.
In this exclusive interview with the New National Star, Force Commander Multinational Joint Task Force MNJTF, Major General Abdul Khalifa Ibrahim speaks on the successes and challenges in the last 14 months while optimistic about what the future holds.
Excerpts:
We know you are Major General AK Ibrahim, Force Commander of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) but for the benefit of our reader can you tell us a bit more about yourself?
Thank you, Lawrence, for your time, I am Major General Abdul Khalifah Ibrahim, an infantry officer from Nigeria. I have been opportune in the past to command 7 Division, Nigerian Army with headquarters in Maiduguri, under the defunct Operation Lafiya Dole. I am proud to say we galvanized the officers and men and we took the fight seriously to the criminal Boko Haram and ISWAP. My boys did well. I also had the privilege of commanding an infantry brigade in the past. From August 2021, I have the honour of commanding the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) as the Force Commander (FC) and my headquarters is in N’Djamena Chad.
Since inception, one of the key mandates of the MNJTF is to Fast track the return of displaced persons within the Lake Chad Basin Region (LCBR) to their ancestral homes. How has the MNJTF achieved this with figures if possible?
Yes, indeed a key mandate of the MNJTF is to help create conditions for the safe return of refugees who fled their country to other countries in search of safety and those who were internally displaced to return to their ancestral homes to continue their lives. We took this mandate seriously and did all we can to achieve it. I am pleased to note that in the last one year we have been quite successful but before talking on this, I wish to state that the main objective of setting up the MNJTF was to bring together forces from countries of the Lake Chad Basin working in tandem under a unified command to confront and subdue the menace of terrorism within the LCBR. At this juncture, permit me to pay tribute to the political leadership of the LCBR countries whose strong political will led to the establishment of this novel and unique force in 2015. I want to appreciate and most sincerely thank the previous Force Commanders who worked hard to give life to this force and conducted several military operations such as operations AMNI FAKAT, GAMA AIKI, YANCIN TAFKI 1 and 2 among others. They set the high pedestal and started this journey and we want to finish it off. In my tenure as FC, we have carried out 2 major operations, Operations Sharan Fage and Operation Lake Sanity. Most of the set objectives of the operations were achieved as hundreds of terrorists were neutralized including rescue of over 100 captives and hostages. However, specifically to answer your question, over 20,000 former refugees and internally displaced persons have returned to their ancestral homes in the last 14 months. This is a culmination of MNJTF Operations with other national operations in Nigeria (Operation Hadin Kai), in Cameroon (Operation Emergence 4) amongst others and of course with the support of the political leadership in Nigeria and in the LCBR countries. In Kirawa Nigeria, for instance, over 7,000 Nigerians displaced to Cameroon have returned as well as others in IDP campswithin Nigeria. They currently farm and carry out commercial activities there, similarly in Banki Nigeria, over 3,000 Nigerians were repatriated back to their ancestral locations from Minawao refugee camp in Cameroon during this period. Others have returned to Baga, Doron Baga, Cross Kauwa, Monguno amongst other smaller communities all in Nigeria. These communities are fully settled in now as commercial, agricultural and fishing activities are thriving. In Niger Republic, the locality of Baroua and several other settlements have witnessed the return of refugees and displaced persons. This is also true for Cameroon in places like Amchide (Cameroon) and Bagatolorom in Chad where about three thousand displaced persons returned in January, I could go on and on. However, we are not where we want to be yet as our mission is to ensure the complete restoration of peace in the Region and all IDPs and refugees fully returned to their homes. But the journey of a thousand miles starts with one step …. We have taken several steps now.
The Lake Chad Basin used to be an economically and socially integrated area in West and Central Africa. What is the situation at the moment in the aftermath of renewed vigor of Multinational Joint Task Force operations?
The Lake Chad Basin is an important massive waterbody area in partsof Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad. It is home to about 30 million people and has implications in terms of food and general security. It is characterized by hundreds of Islands in a difficult terrain occupied for centuries by people who have not really felt the effects of central governments. It must be stated that even before the advent of the Boko Haram crises, Cases of light banditry and armed robbery was quite prevalent leading to deployment of security forces to counter that. Also, the Lake which was about 25,000 square kilometers in 1963 is now a mere 1,350 square kilometers and this in itself had been a catalyst for conflicts between formers and herders. However, the effects of MNJTF operations and surveillance has drastically reduced the level of violence, attacks and abductions. As stated earlier, more and more refugees and internally displaced persons are returning to their communities, also international commercial routes have been reopened such as N’Djamena (Chad) – Kousseri (Cameroon) to Gamboru – Dikwa – Maiduguri (Nigeria). Another route which has been opened is the Amchide (Cameroon) – Banki – Bama – Maduguri in Nigeria. This has ensured free movement of goods, and people and recently the political authority in Borno State reopened the international Cattle market in Gamboru which has enabled the transportation of cattle from Chad and Cameroon. Things are picking up gradually but a lot still needs to be done in terms of infrastructure especially roads and also on the coordination of activities too. I must not forget to mention Baga area too, which is the hub for fishing. Presently, fishing activities have picked up and fish is now transported in trucks once again from Baga to other parts in Nigeria and West Africa. and it can only get better. But you know ours is to provide security cover for other activities to take place and we have been doing that. We shall continue to collaborate with relevant stakeholders to achieve the desired end state.
With the riff growing between France and its former colonies, we see reconfiguration of French Forces moving to Chad and Niger to set up bases there following their expulsion from parts of the Sahel. How would this impact operations of the Multinational Joint Task Force?
You are delving into the political arena and that is outside our mandate, all I can say is that the MNJTF wishes all countries in our region and beyond peace, stability and prosperity. We have good relationship with the French forces here who give us technical support for which we are grateful, I get invited as an observer to G5 Sahel meetings here in N’Djamena and I appreciate that very much. Finally, MNJTF will continue to partner with other stakeholders until total peace is restored in the Lake Chad Basin Area and beyond.
How would you describe the level of support you get from development partners and troops contributing countries?
I am proud to say that Nigeria is the main contributor or gives the most support to the MNJTF. The executive secretary of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) during the last LCBC Submit 2022 held in Abuja said Nigeria had spent over 200 million United State dollars in support of the MNJTF and its operations. Other troops contributing countries have also contributed their share. We also get support from the African Union, European Union, United Kingdom, Turkey and others. These have kept us going and it is appreciated. However, a shift from mainly substance support to military hardware and advance technology support would ensure a quick defeat of the criminals and effective policing and security of this Vast Area of Operation. I however, deeply appreciate all the troops contributing countries as they all have troops that paid the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty in the Region and this can’t be quantified.
We know that conflicts such as the Boko Haram/ISWAP insurgency with underlying ideological issues compounded with the deprived nature of the LCBA cannot be won only by kinetic means, what is the MNJTF doing as its non-kinetic approach?
Thank you very much for this important question, we believe in this type of conflict it should be 30 percent kinetic effort and 70 percent non-kinetic effort using a whole of society approach. The MNJTF has relatedly closely with the Regional Stabilisation Strategy (RSS) Secretariat to ensure a synchronization of stabilization, humanitarian and CIMIC activities with the operations of the MNJTF. In the MNJTF we have a Civil Military Cooperation (CIMIC) Cell headed by a Colonel who is my special adviser on CIMIC and who helps me implement CIMIC missions. The MNJTF has facilitated the implementation of various CIMIC projects which include the procurement and distribution of tables and benches to selected schools as well as medical outreaches, repairs and drilling of boreholes across the Sectors. Most recently, the EU through COGINTA validated several CIMIC projects including the construction and equipping of classrooms and medical centres, provision of medical equipment and drugs, drilling of boreholes as well as supply of agricultural equipment amongst others. The MNJTF has not only been directly involved in the provision of some of these social projects, but we also maintained visibility to build confidence and to win the hearts and minds of the populace. It is important to state here that these has improved the relationship between the MNJTF and the civilian populace. However, there is still the need for more support.
From all indications General, a lot has been achieved, but what would you say is your projection for the future? Where do you see the MNJTF in particular in its quest for total peace in its area of operation in the Lake Chad Basin Region?
I want to start by thanking and appreciating the political leadership of the LCBR for their strong support to the MNJTF and especially President Muhammadu Buhari who has been instrumental to this. I equally appreciate the Service Chiefs of the LCBR countries for their guidance and tremendous support and to our supervising headquarters the Lake Chad Basin Commission. We deeply appreciate their efforts. The Multinational Joint Task Force would continue to take the fight to the enemy. We however understand we are facing a fanatical and resilient foe. Ordinarily, this insurgency should have collapsed given the fact that they have been severely degraded as a result of the combination of better understanding of their tactics, induced surrenders of about 100,000 fighters and families thereby reducing their fighting strength and collaborators. All these in addition to the availability of experienced leadership and massive acquisition of equipment including technology, better coordination with neighbouring countries to fight a common evil, effects of psychological and non-kinetic operations and gradual realization by the populace that they are better off working with the security forces etc. Finally, and most importantly, the renewed courage, gallantry and determination of our officers and men including our partners (Civilian Joint Task Force and other hybrid forces) in this struggle for peace. In a normal setting, they should have given up but because they have been brainwashed, they won’t do that easily, we shall force them. I feel however to permanently end the crises in the LCBR, the Countries must dominate this area by physically putting troops (security forces there). We need to break the morale and coordination of the Boko Haram/ISWAP and this will disrupt their will to fight and ultimately ensure their collapse – that is our end state, and we shall achieve it. I am however happy with the progress we have made, and I thank my Commanders, other officers of the Multinational Joint Task Force, the gallant soldiers who take the battle to the criminals and confront them and indeed all numerous supporters and the population of the Lake Chad Basin areas itself. I want to warmly appreciate the Governor of Borno State Professor Babagana Umara Zulum and his entire cabinet and also the Theatre Commander Operation Hadin Kai and his team of gallant officers and soldiers. I must not forget the tremendous role of the air components of the MNJTF and Op Hadin Kai who collaborate effectively and have significantly helped to degrade and disrupt enemy activities. Honestly, hundreds of these criminals (Boko Haram/ISWAP) have been eliminated by air power but most are under reported. I salute them all from the Commander Air Component to the officers, ground staff and especially our gallant and courageous young pilots. I want to thank you gentlemen of the press too, we can’t win without you. But please, be balanced and patriotic in your reportage. Thank you so much.