MNJTF NON- KINETIC OPERATIONS

MNJTF NON- KINETIC OPERATIONS

The following operations are part of Non kinetic operations conducted by MNJTF :

a. Transfer of Escaped Nigerian held Hostage by Terrorists. in line with its humanitarian mandate, on 26 Aug 20 MNJTF facilitated the transfer of a Nigerian nurse, MALLAM ZAKARI AGADJI from Sector 4 MNJTF HQ in DIFFA back to his home country Nigeria. The hostage had earlier escaped from ISWAP custody at TUMBUN GINI on 22 Aug 20 after being held captive for 8 Months. The eventual transfer was done using MNJTF air assets in consonance with MNJTF SOP for handling persons associated with BOKO HARAM.

b. Handover of Civilians that Escaped from Boko Haram Captivity and Surrendered to MNJTF Troops. On 27 Aug 20, MNJTF handover 24 civilians that escaped from terrorists’ captivity and surrendered to Sector 1 MNJTF in Mora, Cameroon. The persons comprising of 13 Children, 5 women and 6 adult males were airlifted by MNJTF air assets from Mora to Maiduguri and handed over to officials of the Borno State government for rehabilitation and reintegration process. They are part of the about 300 persons including BHT Fighters that surrendered and were under safe custody of sector 1 MNJTF. The escapees and surrendered BHT were outcomes of MNJTF intense information operations. The surrendered persons took advantage of clearance operations that diverted the attention of the terrorists to escape and surrender to MNJTF troops. It is also pertinent to state that in addition to the 24 transferred persons, in the month of Aug 20, Sector 1 handed over 142 Cameroonians comprising 80 surrendered BHTs and 62 family members to the Cameroon National DDR Programme (CNDDR) for processing in line with extant national laws.

c. Formal Hand Over of Surrendered BHTs of Nigerian Origin in MNJTF Custody. On 18 Aug 20, the FC facilitated the airlift of the representative of Borno State Governor who was the State Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Baba Kaka Shehu to HQ Sector 1 Mora for the formal handover of about 112 surrendered BHT members and their families who were of Nigerian origin. Also on the delegation were prominent journalists such as Hassan Maina Kaina of the VOA Hausa Service. During the visit, the delegation paid a courtesy call on the Prefect of Mora Sub-Division after which they proceeded to HQ Sector 1 where they were briefed on the status of the surrendered BHT members of Nigerian origin. The formal handover was done by between Director Cameroon National DDR (CNDDR) and Borno State Commissioner for Justice. It included detailed documentation including profile and passport photographs of each surrendered BHT and their family members. The delegation also seized the opportunity to present foodstuffs, clothing and petty cash as incentives to the surrendered BHTs and their families. After the formal handover, members of the delegation also took time to interact with the surrendered BHTs while the journalist interviewed several of them. During the occasion, the Cameroonian authority appealed to the Nigerian delegation to expedite action on the transfer of the persons to Nigeria as their resources were over stretched as well as the need to reduce the security risk associated with the continued stay in the custody of the Sector HQ made to take over the surrendered combatants for transfer to OP SAFE CORRIDOR. It is assessed that the immediate takeover of the surrendered terrorists and their family members by the Nigerian authorities will enhance future information operations and induce mass defections in the ranks of the terrorists.

d. Facilitation of MNJTF Influence Operations. During the period under review, MNJTF influence operations that facilitated series of interviews with surrendered terrorist by a renown VOA correspondent which was subsequently broadcasted worldwide to international and domestic audiences. The purpose of the influence operation was to sensitize the populace on the people who are usually lured to join the terrorists. It was also a strategy to diminish their recruitment capabilities. It was instructive that during the interviews, the repentant terrorist also called on their colleagues still trapped to surrender attesting that they were being treated humanely by MNJTF troops contrary to the propaganda been peddled by the BHT leadership that they will be killed once they surrendered. It is also worthy to mention that the repentant terrorist volunteered to partake in the interviews. The initiative was further assessed to be effective given the fact that it went viral in the social media and was also severally re-broadcasted by other recognized print and electronic media outlets. All necessary precautions were taken to ensure the confidentiality and security of the repentant terrorist that volunteered for the interviews.