By Lawrence Audu
The Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) and the Cameroon Ministry of Defence have intensified their collaborative efforts to eradicate the remaining Boko Haram insurgents in the Lake Chad Basin region.
This significant advancement came to light during the official visit of Force Commander Major General Ibrahim Sallau Ali of the MNJTF to the Ministry of Defence in Yaounde on 1st February 2024.
During the visit, General Ali emphasized the recent achievements of the MNJTF in Cameroon’s Sector 1, attributing these successes to the support and commitment of the Cameroonian government.
He noted that a growing number of terrorists have chosen to lay down their arms and pursue peace, leading to the return of many communities to their ancestral homes.
General Ali expressed his deep appreciation to the government and people of Cameroon for their invaluable contributions to these remarkable milestones.
Furthermore, General Ali reiterated the MNJTF’s dedication to completely eliminating Boko Haram activities in the Lake Chad region. He commended the troop-contributing countries for fulfilling their obligations to the MNJTF and appealed for additional support for the troops in Sector 1 to enable them to achieve their objectives. This underlines the ongoing commitment to securing the region and ensuring the safety and stability of the affected areas.
In his remarks, the Cameroon Minister of Defence, Joseph Beti Assomo commended MNJTF for it’s efforts in fulfilling it’s mandate despite challenges. He added that his country is strengthening cooperation with all the partners to ensure defeat of Boko Haram remnants. He pledged that Cameroon will never relent in supporting MNJTF.
Similarly, the Force Commander has paid a visit to Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General Rene Claude Meka. During the visit issues on security of Lake Chad Basin were discussed.
The Chief of Defence Staff who was represented by Major General Tchemo Hector Marie expressed that Cameroon Armed Forces are fully committed to MNJTF and are not ready to give freedom of action to any terrorist in their territory.