Civilian Joint Task Force Appoints Maikano Acting Commander-General

The national leadership of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) has appointed retired Major General Abdullahi Maikano as its acting commander-general, with a mandate to drive reforms and strengthen collaboration with security agencies nationwide.

The appointment was announced on Saturday by the national chairman of the CJTF, Prof. Kailani Muhammad, during the organisation’s National Security Summit in Abuja.

The summit, themed “Building a Resilient Nation: Strategic Partnerships for Peace, Stability and National Development,” brought together stakeholders to discuss the role of community-based security in promoting national peace.

Announcing the appointment, Muhammad described Maikano as a military sports guru with the experience required to formalise CJTF through a comprehensive operational blueprint.

He recalled the challenges encountered when the organisation was established 15 years ago, stressing that its mission had remained to complement the efforts of conventional security agencies in safeguarding life and property.

He said, “The purpose of establishing this movement, the Civilian Joint Task Force, was to bring peace and unity in our country.”

“Whether you are from Edo State or you are from Urhobo, Nupe, Hausa, Yoruba or Igbo, this country belongs to all of us. We don’t have any other country apart from Nigeria.”

Muhammad said the organization had matured over the years and was ready to begin a new phase of institutional development.

“From today, with the new Commander-General, all our wishes start materializing. We are going to develop a blueprint on how the Civilian JTF will excel and strengthen partnerships with international organizations, ” he said.

He added that the organization had already established partnerships across West Africa and was engaging with more than 80 countries on security cooperation.

Responding to his appointment, Maikano expressed gratitude to the CJTF leadership for the confidence reposed in him and promised to build on the organisation’s achievements over the past 15 years.

“I thank God and the Executive Chairman of the Civilian Joint Task Force of Nigeria for finding me fit to handle this post of Commander-General,” he said.

“I will study all the achievements made in the last 15 years and see how we are going to move forward. We have a very robust plan.”

The retired general reaffirmed that the CJTF would continue to play a complementary role to the Police, the Armed Forces and other security agencies.

“We are complementing their efforts because we know the terrain. We will support them to bring peace and stability to Nigeria. We don’t have any other country except Nigeria, and we must continue to support our security agencies,” he added.