The Force Commander of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF), Maj.-Gen. Saidu Audu, has assured the Borno State Government that the Boko Haram insurgency and other non-state armed groups operating in the Lake Chad region are nearing defeat.
Audu gave the assurance during a courtesy visit to Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, in Maiduguri as part of his familiarisation tour following his assumption of office on November 13, 2025.
The visit, according to a statement released on Tuesday by the MNJTF Acting Chief Military Public Information Officer, Lt.-Col. Ikedichi Oweha, was aimed at engaging the governor as a key stakeholder in the Lake Chad Basin Commission Governors’ Forum and appreciating the state’s consistent support for MNJTF operations.
The force commander said the MNJTF had developed a comprehensive strategy to confront Boko Haram and other non-state actors by taking the fight directly to their enclaves.
He noted that the task force was operating in line with its grand strategic direction to achieve its mandate of restoring peace and security in the Lake Chad region.
“Ongoing efforts by MNJTF troops and partner forces indicate that the end of the Boko Haram insurgency and related security challenges is within reach,” Audu said.
In his response, Governor Zulum congratulated Audu on his appointment and reaffirmed the state government’s continued support for the MNJTF in the discharge of its mandate.
The governor commended the military and other security agencies for their sustained efforts, noting that their support had laid the foundation for peace and development in Borno State.
Zulum also urged the MNJTF to intensify operations in the Lake Chad islands and tumbus, which he described as ungoverned spaces often exploited by terrorists, while assuring the task force of the state’s continued support despite limited resources.