President Buhari Commends MNJTF on Counter-Insurgency Operations in Lake Chad

President Buhari Commends MNJTF on Counter-Insurgency Operations in Lake Chad

During the week under review, the President and Commander- in -Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari was on official visit to Republic of Chad on 10 October 22 to witness the inauguration of General Mahamat Idris Deby Itno as the President of the Chadian Transition Government. During the sidelines of the occasion, President Muhammadu Buhari met with the FC MNJTF and commended the efforts the Force in its commitment towards ending the fight against terrorists activities in and around the Lake Chad Basin. The FC also used the opportunity to present a souvenir to President Muhammadu Buhari.

2. A team from the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) led by the Force Commander (FC), Major General Abdul Khalifah Ibrahim, paid a congratulatory visit to the newly promoted Chadian Chief of Defence Staff Chad (CDS) General Abakar Abdelkarim Daoud on Thursday 13 October 2022. Other members of the Team included the Deputy Force Commander Brigadier General Assoualai Blama, and other senior officers. While there, the FC presented an official Congratulatory Letter to General Abdelkerim, while also noting that the promotion was well-deserved given the years of loyal service and level of commitment the CDS had devoted to serving his nation and by extension the Lake Chad Basin countries. General Ibrahim therefore enjoined the CDS to continue to give his best in the new rank which, he said entailed higher responsibilities. In response, the CDS thanked and appreciated the MNJTF Team for taking time to felicitate with him and promised to continue to do his best in any capacity he finds himself.

3. Within the period also, a team from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) led by Madam Blerta Cela, Head of UNDP Regional Stabilization Facility, West and Central Africa alongside other officials of the UNDP visited the Headquarters MNJTF on Thursday 13 October 2022. The team were welcomed by the FC who thanked them for their relentless efforts towards ensuring full but gradual and sustainable stabilization within and around the Lake Chad Region. The head of the delegation used the opportunity to acknowledge and appreciate the efforts of the MNJTF in combatting the menace of terrorism and insurgency within and around the Lake Chad Region and conveyed UNDP’s readiness to collaborate more closely with the MNJTF towards reinforcing security and facilitate stabilization in UNDP areas of intervention.The FC further expressed the readiness of the MNJTF to work closely with the UNDP in facilitating security and stabilization intervention within and around the Lake Chad Region. He equally noted that stabilization was the panacea for the complete and lasting peace in communities affected by the menace of terrorism and insurgency.

4. The FC also hosted the Executive Director COGINTA, Mr Sabestian a Swiss based INGO executing various EU direct support projects to the MNJTF. The FC used the opportunity to appreciate the EU for their immeasurable support to the MNJTF and equally thanked COGINTA for executing the support promptly and professionally while also requesting for additional support to the MNJTF in critical areas needed by the Force. He equally highlighted that the MNJTF is articulating priority needs which would be discused further with the EU Team. The ED COGINTA mentioned that he was on a field visit to assess the impact and quality of COGINTA’s service to the MNJTF. He praised the level of profesionalism displayed by the MNJTF and mentioned that the MNJTF remains a shinning example of a successful joint mission. He said COGINTA was proud to be associated with the MNJTF and would continue to deliver promptly its services to the MNJTF. All activities were hitch free. Pictures attached.

KAMARUDEEN ADEGOKE
Lieutenant Colonel
Chief of Military Public Information Office
CHAD
N’Djamena
17 October 2022