Newsletter: #SecuringNigeria
JANUARY 2018
The 1 Division of the Nigerian Army, Kaduna, launched a special operation, Karamin Goro (Small Kola Nut), in collaboration with the Air Force, Police, Department of State Services, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC; to tackle kidnapping, robbery and cattle rustling in parts of Kaduna and Niger States (Minna-Birnin Gwari-Pandogari and Minna-Sarkin Pawa general areas)
FEBRUARY 2018
The Nigerian Army commenced Exercise Ayem Akpatuma covering Benue, Taraba, Kogi, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Niger states, in order to tackle the cases of kidnappings, herdsmen/farmers’ clashes, among others.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) inducted its first indigenous operational Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), Tsaigumi. The newly-inducted UAV has day and night capability, an operational endurance in excess of 10 hours, a service ceiling of 15,000 feet and a mission radius of 100km, and is capable of being used for policing operations, disaster management, convoy protection, maritime patrol, pipeline, power line monitoring as well as mapping and border patrol duties.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) established a total of 10 new Units as NAF had concluded plans to set up Quick Response Wings (QRWs) across Nasarawa State, in a bid to tackle the herders/farmers clashes plaguing some states within the axis.
MARCH 2018
The Nigerian Army extended Exercise Ayem Akpatuma in Taraba State by two months.
APRIL 2018
The Nigerian Air Force took delivery of a second batch of 2 brand new Mi-35N helicopter gunships to boost internal security.
MAY 2018
The Nigerian Police Force inaugurated a Mobile Squadron in Takum, Taraba State
The Nigerian Air Force established 3 new Quick Response Wings (QRW) in Taraba, Nasarawa and Benue states respectively, and deployed Special Forces personnel to these new bases. (Taraba State QRW is located in Nguroje, Nasarawa State QRW in Doma; and Benue State QRW in Agatu).
Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim Idris ordered the deployment of 200 policemen, and 10 patrol vehicles to Birnin Gwari (Kaduna)-Zamfara axis to tackle armed banditry in the area.
President Muhammadu Buhari approved the establishment of a new Battalion of the Nigerian Army, as well as a new Police Area Command, in Birnin Gwari LGA of Kaduna State, as part of measures to scale up the security response to the banditry affecting the area. Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen. Tukur Buratai, has since flagged-off the new Battalion [2 Battalion Forward Operating Base (FOB)] in Kanfanin Doka Village, Birnin-Gwari, Kaduna State.
The Defence Headquarters assembled a Special Military Intervention Force comprising more than 1,000 personnel, drawn from the Army, Air Force, Navy, Police, DSS and NSCDC, to respond to the security challenges in the North Central and North West. On May 8, 2018, the Force launched Operation WHIRL STROKE, as a full-scale military operation to completely restore law, order and stability in the affected communities. The Whirl Stroke Operational Force Commander is Major General Adeyemi Yekini.
Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen TY Buratai inducted a mix of 49 Toyota Land cruisers and Innoson gun trucks, at the HQ of the 133 Special Forces Battalion of Nigerian Army at Azare, to support the ongoing OPERATION LAST HOLD in Northern Borno.
NAF launched newly-constructed accommodation for the 205 Combat Search and Rescue Group (CSARG) — established in 2017 to provide aid and operational assistance to wounded and distressed troops serving in combat units — in Kerang, Plateau State.
The Air Task Force of NAF commenced Operation THUNDER STRIKE to attack selected locations of Boko Haram Terrorists in the North-East.
Nigerian Army concludes Ayem Akpatuma Exercise in Benue, Taraba and Kogi states
Operation LAFIYA DOYLE troops partnered with Cameroonian Defence Forces and the Civilian Joint Task Force in a Joint Counter-Insurgency Operation to overrun a Boko Haram hideout in Bukar Maryam and Abaganaram villages of Borno state, capturing 11 terrorists and killing 2 others.
The Nigerian Army commissioned its new Forward Operating Base in Epe, Lagos State
JUNE 2018
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) successfully accomplished the first in-country overhaul of one of its helicopter gunships, the Mi-35P NAF 531, employed in the counterinsurgency operations in the Northeast before it was grounded, having become due for scheduled overhaul. This is the first in-country Life Extension Programme of Mi-35P Helicopter Gunship successfully accomplished by NAF. Also restored to serviceability was an EC-135 Helicopter, NAF 548, which became unserviceable in March 2018 because of the need to undergo an engine modular change. The reactivation works on the helicopters — which brings to 13 the number of aircraft re-activated by the NAF since July 2015 — were carried out in the hangar of 115 SOG by NAF engineers and technicians, who worked closely with some foreign technical partners. Functional Check Flights (FCFs) have since been carried out on the 2 newly reactivated helicopters, and they will be immediately deployed for operational duties. In-country Periodic Depot Maintenance of another Mi-35 Helicopter will commence immediately.
NAF deploys combat helicopter to its 207 Quick Response Group (QRG) in Gusau, Zamfara state to support the fight against armed banditry in the town and its environs.
