Nigeria, Chad, Niger Republics launch massive offensive against Boko Haram/ISWAP

From SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –

The Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), has launched a coordinated joint offensive to dislodge and completely rid the Islands (Tunbuns) of Lake Chad of any Boko Haram/ Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) presence and activities.

Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Brigadier-General Benard Onyeuko, who made this known in a statement on Thursday, said the troops involved in this massive operation are the Sector 2 MNJTF (Chad Republic), Sector 3 MNJTF (Nigeria) and Sector 4 MNJTF (Niger Republic).

Brigadier-General Onyeuko said:

“It would be recalled that following the sustained onslaught and decimation of the Boko Haram/Islamic State’s West Africa Province’ elements by the troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE, the criminal insurgents retreated into the Tumbuns of the Lake Chad from where they plan and cowardly attack soft and hard targets.

“These heinous acts necessitated the contiguous nations of the Lake Chad basin to jointly launch this massive onslaught on the terrorists across the common borders extending into the Northern Tumbuns of the Lake Chad Basin in Nigeria.

“Aside from the Combined operations, troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE are equally engaged in the conduct of simultaneous blocking operations aimed at decimating those criminal insurgents who are escaping the onslaught at the Lake Chad general area.

“The general public is hereby requested to continue to provide credible information on our common enemies to the Armed Forces of Nigeria operating in Operation LAFIYA DOLE.”