Emergency Rule Enters New Phase as JTF Hands over to New Army Division

Emergency rule in the three north-eastern states is set to enter a new
phase as the command and control of the ongoing internal security
operations in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe States will tomorrow revert to
the army headquarters for the last three month of emergency rule.
This was disclosed Sunday in a statement signed by the Director of
Defence Information (DDI), Brig-Gen. Chris Olukolade, who said the
Joint Task Force (JTF), would hand over operational authorities to the
Nigerian Army.
According to him, a new army division had been created and would take
off to continue counter-insurgency operations with immediate effect.
He said: "Coming three months into the mission to stamp out terrorism
in the North-east, this development is in line with the plans laid out
for theconduct of the operations to execute the mandate spelt out in
the State of Emergency declaration by the President,
Commander-in-Chief.
"The phase being concluded on Monday was executed by a Joint Task
Force composed by troops drawn from the services of the armed forces
as well as other security agencies who conducted Operation BOYONA."
President Jonathan had on May 14 this year declared state of emergency
in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe States, directing the deployment of troops
to enforce the rule in the affected states.
In line with the directive, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Admiral
Ola Sa'ad Ibrahim, directed massivedeployment of troops to boost and
expand the existing JTF operation called Operation Restore Hope into a
new structure.
"Code-named Operation BOYONA, an acronym derived from the names of the
three states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa covered by the state of
emergency declaration, the effort was meant to constitute the first
phase of the counter-terrorists operation", Olukolade noted.
He further explained that the Nigerian Army would now be solely in
charge of the operations, but still under the routine guidance of the
Defence Headquarters.
He said a General Officer Commanding (GOC), in the rank of Major
General, was being proposed to command the new Division, which would
have its Headquarters in Maiduguri.
"He is due to take over command and the assets of the Headquarters of
the Joint Task Force," he said.
According to him, the new division is to continue with the conduct of
counter-terrorists operations in the North-east, which comes under its
area of responsibility.