Jutha Gupah, Maiduguri
The Force Commander of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF). Maj-Gen Abdul Khalifah Ibrahim has handed over four combat vehicles to troops in Borno state.
The fighting vehicles include Toyota Buffalo Hilux fitted with motion sensors in tracking Boko Haram terrorists’ hideouts in the Mandara Mountains of Gwoza Council.
Chief of Military Public Information Office, Lt-Col Kamarudeen Adegoke, yesterday (Friday), in N’Djamena, Chad, disclosed that the fighting vehicles were presented to a task force of the forward operations base tactical support group in Kirawa.
Kirawa, a border community with Cameroon had been severally attacked by the Boko Haram insurgents between 2014 and 2018.
While receiving the vehicles, Commander of Sector 1 MNJTF (Cameroon), Col. Tiokap Loti thanked the task force Nigerian military high command for the presentation.to
He, therefore, assured that the combat vehicles will be put to use to defeat the insurgents hibernating in the Mandara Hills.
He urged the Kirawa people to cooperate with the troops by reporting strange faces and other suspicious movements in the border areas for prompt action.
The Kirawa, District Head, Abdulrahaman Abubakar, noted that the people have returned to their ancestral homes, after seven years in camps at Pulka and Maiduguri.
He, therefore, advised the people to cooperate with the troops in smoking out the remnants of Boko Haram terrorists.
“The presence of troops has allayed our fears and threat of the terrorists’ activities,” stating that over 6. 000 IDP returnees are in the community.
Besides, he added that other IDPs in Cameroon are willing to return to the Kirawa community, seven years after they fled for safety and shelter.
He advised them to cooperate with the troops in the area and report strange faces and suspected movement in the area.
While responding, the District head Mallam Abdulrahaman Abubakar appreciated the visit and for ensuring that the community is able to return to their ancestral home after an absence of about 7 years running away from the terrorists Boko Haram sect.
He said the presence of the troops has allayed the threats of the terrorists’ activities.
According to him, this has allowed farming and other activities possible in the community.
He appealed to the Borno state government to rehabilitate the 16-kilometre border road with the provision of more amenities.
