Boko Haram: Army Takes Over Command From JTF

Brig. Gen. Chris Olukolade

The Nigerian Army will today take over military operations from the Joint Task Force who has been battling the Islamic sect, Boko Haram, in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

In a statement by the Director, Defence Information, Brigadier-General Chris Olukolade said that the Army Headquarters will assume command of troops with immediate effect.

The operation which is code-named 'Operation BOYONA', is said to be an acronym derived from the names of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states.

"Accordingly, a new Army Division has been created and will take off to continue the counter-insurgency operation with immediate effect.

"Coming three months into the mission to stamp out terrorism in the North East, this development is in line with the plans laid out for the conduct of the operations to execute the mandate spelt out in the State of Emergency declaration by the President, Commander-in-Chief.

"The phase being concluded on Monday was executed by a Joint Task Force composed by troops drawn from the Services of the Armed Forces as well as other security agencies who conducted Operation BOYONA", Brig.-Gen. Olukolade said.

The Nigerian Army will now be in charge of the operations, but still under the guidance of the Defence Headquarters in Abuja.

In further statement by the Director, Defence Information, Brigadier-General Chris Olukolade, he said the effort made was to further enhance the operation in the region against insurgency.

"The effort was meant to constitute the first phase of the counter-terrorists operation. The Nigerian Army will now be solely in charge of the operations, but still under the routine guidance of the Defence Headquarters.

"A General Officer Commanding (GOC), in the rank of Major General, is being proposed to command the new Division which will have its Headquarters in Maiduguri. He is due to take over Command and the assets of the Headquaters of the Joint Task Force", the statement added.