Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Fighter jets of the combined forces of the Air Task Force Operation Lafiya Dole and Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) yesterday carried out air strikes in Tumbun Hamma on the fringes of Lake Chad, killing many fighters of the Islamic State for West Africa (ISWAP).
The air strikes is coming as the British Military Advisory Training Team (BMATT) and the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) graduated a new set of participants on Joint Operational Campaign Planning Course to further enhance ongoing military joint operations within the country.
An update on the ongoing war against insurgency provided by Nigerian Air Force Spokesman, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, said the air strikes were carried out after an earlier bombardment by the Nigerian, Nigerien and Chadian Air Forces.
He said the devastating air strikes inflicted heavy casualties on the insurgents.
“The air strikes were conducted following credible intelligence reports indicating that the terrorists, who had fled the series of air strikes conducted by Nigerian, Nigerien and Chadian Air Forces, around the Malkanori-Tumbun Rego general axis of northern Borno State, had converged in Tumbun Hamma.
“The attack was preceded by series of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions which confirmed heavy presence of terrorists in several structures, along with their logistics items, spread across the small settlement.
“Accordingly, the ATF scrambled an Alpha Jet aircraft to attack the location, recording a successful direct hit in the center of the target area leading to the neutralisation of several terrorists as well as the destruction of their structures and logistics”, he said.
Meanwhile, the British Military Advisory Team and the Defence Headquarters graduated more participants in the Joint Operational Campaign Planning Course to further enhance ongoing military joint operations within the country.
A statement issued by Defence Spokesman, Col Onyema Nwachukwu, said thirty participants comprising senior officers from the military, paramilitary and senior level staff drawn from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of government graduated on Friday 24 May, 2019 in a ceremony held at the Defence Intelligence College (DIC), Abuja.
During the two weeks intensive capacity building training, the participants were exposed to the concept of Joint Operational Campaign Planning, Principles and Approach to Operations, as well as Mission Command and Strategic Direction.
The course curriculum also featured Joint Integrated Operations, emphasising Structure, Roles, Functions and Staff Rhythm in Joint Task Force Headquarters. The Role of MDAs on Joint Integrated Operations was equally discussed.
Speaking at the graduation ceremony, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Gabriel Abayomi Olonisakin noted that the course had achieved its objective of fashioning out effective planning and robust synergy among security and government agencies in the collective effort to address contemporary security challenges.
General Olonisakin congratulated the graduands, urging them to apply the knowledge gained on the course in their respective services and establishments to serve as enablers. The CDS further encouraged the participants to build on the friendship established during the course to enhance future interactions for national cohesion.
The CDS also expressed appreciation to BMATT for its collaborative efforts and provision of resource persons during the training. The CDS was represented at the occasion, by Air Commodore Paul Ohemu, Deputy Director of Training, at the DHQ.
Participants who successfully completed the two-week capacity building course, were drawn from the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Air Force. Others are Operatives and personnel from the Department of State Service (DSS), Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA), the Nigeria Custom Service, Prison Service, Immigration Service, Federal Road Safety Corps, Federal Fire Service, National Emergency Agency (NEMA), BMATT, Ministries of Defence, Foreign Affairs and Justice.
