How Air Force cut Boko Haram’s supply routes

A wooden canoe containing supplies to Boko Haram intercepted by the Air Force

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF)  has intercepted supplies to Boko Haram insurgents along Nigeria-Cameroon borders.

NAF said last night that it seized over 4,000 drums and several plastic containers filled with petroleum products meant for the insurgents.

NAF spokesman Air Commodore Dele Alonge broke the news in a statement in Abuja.

The statement reads: “The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) through its intensified and persistent efforts in the ongoing fight against Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) has intercepted over 4,000 drums and jerry cans of petroleum products and other smuggled items.

“The items, suspected to be supplies meant for Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) were confiscated from the smugglers in Pepe, Dashin-Hausa, Belel Bilachi, and Konkul villages, all located on the Nigeria-Cameroon borders on Tuesday, 28 July 2015.

 “The NAF was able to achieve the recent feat through its air patrol activities, covering both land and water, on the Nigeria-Cameroon borders.

“The NAF has continued to identify and destroy BHT camps and resupplies by employing surveillance and combat aircraft. Intelligence gathered revealed that these efforts have greatly strained the supply efforts of the BHT.”

 There was a massive shake-up yesterday in the hierarchy of the Nigerian Army. Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Maj-Gen. Tukur Buratai appointed new General Officers Commanding (GOCs) for commands and divisions.

He also named new Principal Staff Officers (PSOs) to manage the Army Headquarters.

Also appointed were new Corps Commanders, Special Task Forces Commanders, a new Commander for the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) to tackle Boko Haram, new Brigade Commanders and new Defence Advisers in Nigeria’s foreign missions abroad.

The Deputy Commandant of the National Defence College, Abuja, Maj-Gen. Adeniyi Oyebade, has been named the GOC, 1 Mechanised Division, Kaduna; Maj-Gen. L.C. Ilo replaces Maj-Gen S.M. Muazu as the GOC 2 Mechanised Division, Ibadan, Oyo State.

Maj-Gen. Muazu has been moved to Infantry Corps, Jaji as Commander.

The new GOC, 3 Armoured Division, Jos, Plateau State, is Maj.-Gen. H. Umaru and Maj-Gen M.A Koleoso has been moved to take charge as Commander at the Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC), Minna, Niger State.

Maj-Gen Koleoso takes over from Maj-Gen Abayomi Gabriel Olonishakin, who was recently appointed the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He was formerly the Director of Administration at the Defence Headquarters.

Maj-Gen. Edet, formerly the Commandant, Nigerian Army Training Center (NATRAC), Kotangora, has been named new GOC, 81 Division, Lagos.

Brig-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru has been moved from 13 Brigade, Calabar, Cross River State, where he was the Brigade Commander, to take charge as the Acting GOC, 82 Division, Enugu.

He will be taking over from Maj-Gen S. Yusuf, who has been redeployed to Defence Headquarters as Chief of Training and Operations.