Military Decorates 850 Troops, Facilitates 100,000 Refugees’ Return

Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) has decorated 850 officers and soldiers with medals for participating in its special operation codenamed “Lake Chad Sanity”.

LEADERSHIP Friday reports that the decorated officers and soldiers comprised personnel from the Air Task Force “Operation Hadin Kai” and the 7 Division of the Nigerian Army Maimalari Cantonment which is the sector 1 of the MNJTF.

Speaking during the medals’ presentation parade on Thursday in Maiduguri , the Force Commander MNJTF , Maj. Gen Abdul Khalifa Ibrahim said the officers and soldiers have played significant role in dislodging the terrorists from their hideouts in the Lake chad region.

Gen. Ibrahim added that the gallantry efforts of the decorated officers have led the return of over 100,000 people that were either refugees in another country or are internally displaced persons ( IDPs  ), who have returned back to their places like Banki, Baga , cross/Kauwa among others in Nigeria , and others who have returned to their original homes in Chad and Cameroon Republics.

He said businesses, reopening of schools and hospitals are ongoing in various communities of Lake Chad and other parts of the Northeast as a result of the successes recorded by the troops.

The commander commended the Air component of the Operation Hadin Kai for playing a very significant role in the recently concluded “Operation Lake Sanity.”

“They gave us close air support, assisted us with logistics in addition to casualty evacuation. The airstrikes led to the death of several Boko Haram terrorists’ commanders and foot soldiers,” Maj. Gen Ibrahim said.

He commended president Muhammadu Buhari, the Chief of Defence Staff ( CDS  ) , the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) and the Chief of Air Staff ( CAS ) for the various support they have given to troops, saying that the military now have more weapons to clear out terrorists from the Northeast and the country in general.