The Nigerian Army, along with a unit of Cameroon’s Defence Forces, have launched Operation Lafiya Dole to fast track the campaign against the Boko Haram insurgents, says Colonel Onyema Nwachukwu, the Deputy Director of the Nigerian Army Public Relations, like reported by bernama.com.
In a statement issued in Maiduguri, capital of the northeastern Nigerian state of Borno Monday, Col. Nwachukwu added that the Cameroonian forces were inducted on Sunday at Gwoza, by Major-General Rogers Nicholas, the theatre commander of Operation Lafiya Dole.
He explained that the Cameroonian troops would join the ongoing counter-insurgency operations in the northeast and along the borders between Nigeria and Cameroon. “The Cameroonian troops and their equipment were subsequently handed over to the General Officer Commanding (GOC), 7th Division, who is also the Commander, Sector 1, of Operation LAFIYA DOLE,” he added.
Gen. Nicholas was quoted as calling on the troops to be disciplined and to demonstrate a 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 an attitude would hasten the defeat of the insurgents.
The induction exercise was attended by the leader of the Cameroonian Defence Forces delegation, Brigadier Djonkeb Frederick, the GOC 7th Division, Major-General 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 the Sambisa Forest in the Northeast. The troops destroyed several insurgents’ hideouts, equipment, and ammunition and rescued hundreds of civilians while hundreds of the insurgents surrendered.
