Paul Obi in Abuja
Following the resurgence of Boko Haram in the North-east where the sect has in recent weeks sprung surprise ambushes leading to the loss of several lives, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin, monday said the Defence Headquarters has identified lapses leading to the recent failures in the joint operations of the armed forces in the prosecution of the war against terrorists in the region.
He stated this while delivering a keynote address at the opening ceremony of the Advanced Joint Operations Planning Course in Abuja.
The statement came amid recent loses by the military of top commanders and soldiers in the onslaught against the terrorists.
The military hierarchy has also been taken aback by current inroads being made by the terrorists in resisting high-powered operations of the military, leading to the death of some troops in recent weeks.
Olonisakin said the development has demanded the building of operational capacity of the armed forces geared towards fortifying the military.
The Chief of Defence Staff insisted that the Defence Headquarters, after a critical appraisal of “some past and ongoing joint operations of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, identified the gaps in the planning and execution of joint operations.”
He, however, did not disclose the faultlines that have been responsible for the loses and resurgence of the Boko Haram sects.
Olonisakin observed that there was need to imbibe the current trend in modern warfare brought about by the need for joint operations among members of the armed forces, stating that such approach and development had significantly degraded and weakened the Boko Haram capabilities and restored some level of normalcy in the North-east.
“Notwithstanding these achievements, the Defence Headquarters has reviewed some past and ongoing joint operations and identified some gaps in the planning and execution of these operations, “he said.
The CDS, who was represented at the occasion by the Chief of Administration, Defence Headquarters, Rear Admiral Andrew Dacosta, harped on the need for concerted efforts in pushing ahead with the battle against the terrorists.
Olonisakin added: “The course was designed to further enhance the understanding of participants in all the processes required for a successful planning and execution of joint operations,” adding that, “it was expected that at the end of course, they would be well equipped with skills required for vertical and horizontal integration of plans during the execution of joint operations.”
He further expressed gratitude to the British military and advisory team for the training and cooperation between Nigeria and Britain, saying that “the British efforts towards building the desired capacity for addressing Nigeria’s internal security challenges were commendable.”
