Multinational Joint Task Force

{{Infobox military unit

| unit_name = Multinational Joint Task Force

| image = Badge of Multinational Joint Task Force.svg

| caption = Badge

| countries = {{plainlist|

{{flag|Benin}}
{{flag|Cameroon}}
{{flag|Chad}}
{{flag|Niger}}
{{flag|Nigeria}}

}}

| type = Multinational force

| branch =

| dates = 1994–present

| specialization = Combined operations

| command structure =

| size = 7,500–10,000

| current_commander = Major General Ibrahim Ali

| garrison = N'Djamena, Chad

| garrison_label = Headquarters

| ceremonial chief =

| nickname =

| motto =

| colors =

| march =

| mascot =

| battles = Boko Haram insurgency

2015 Baga attacks

| notable_commanders = {{bulleted list|Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai|Lieutenant General Lamidi Adeosun|General Lucky Irabor|Major General Ibrahim Manu Yusuf}}

| anniversaries =

| website = [https://mnjtffmm.org/]

| battle honours =

| identification symbol =

| identification symbol label =

}}

The Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) is a combined multinational formation, comprising units, mostly military, from Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria. It is headquartered in N'Djamena and is mandated to bring an end to the Boko Haram insurgency.

History

The task force was first organised as a solely Nigerian force in 1994, during the administration of Sani Abacha, to "checkmate banditry activities and to facilitate free movement" along its northern border.{{cite news|last1=Musa|first1=Sagir|title=Multinational Joint Task Forces, BHTs And Host Community|url=http://saharareporters.com/2013/05/07/baga-multinational-joint-task-forces-bhts-and-host-community-lt-col-sagir-musa|accessdate=9 January 2015|work=Sahara Reporters|date=7 May 2015}} In 1998 it was expanded to include units from neighbouring Chad and Niger with the purpose of dealing with common cross-border security issues in the Lake Chad region, with its headquarters in the town of Baga, Borno State.

Islamist groups grew and expanded their operations during the 2000s and early 2010s. Boko Haram's insurgency began in 2009, and security forces across the region were increasingly directly challenged by jihadist militant groups. Boko Haram and Ansaru were the most active and well known. In April 2012, the MNJTF's mandate was expanded to encompass counter-terrorism operations.

Brig. Gen. Enitan Ransome-Kuti, son of Beko Ransome-Kuti and nephew of the musician Fela Kuti was a previous commander of the force.

Development

In January 2015 the MNJTF headquarters in Baga, Nigeria, was overrun by militants of Boko Haram, who then proceeded to massacre local residents{{cite news|title=Boko Haram suffers heavy defeat in surprise attack on military base|url=http://www.newsexpressngr.com/news/detail.php?news=8954&title=Boko-Haram-suffers-heavy-defeat-in-surprise-attack-on-military-base|accessdate=9 January 2015|work=News Express|date=5 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170807072724/http://www.newsexpressngr.com/news/detail.php?news=8954&title=Boko-Haram-suffers-heavy-defeat-in-surprise-attack-on-military-base|archive-date=7 August 2017|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-30987043|title=BBC News - Boko Haram attack: What happened in Baga?|author=|date=2 February 2015|work=BBC News|accessdate=11 February 2016}} and destroy the town, displacing many citizens.{{cite news|title=Boko Haram displaces 1,636 in Baga|url=http://www.newsexpressngr.com/news/detail.php?news=8995&title=Boko-Haram-displaces-1,636-in-Baga-(Borno)|accessdate=9 January 2015|work=News Express|date=7 January 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150605034028/http://www.newsexpressngr.com/news/detail.php?news=8995&title=Boko-Haram-displaces-1,636-in-Baga-(Borno)|archive-date=5 June 2015|url-status=dead}} At the time, only Nigerian soldiers were present in the HQ. There were reports that they fled the attackers.{{cite news|last1=Roggio|first1=Bill|title= Boko Haram overruns Multinational Joint Task Force base|url=http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2015/01/boko_haram_overruns_1.php#ixzz3OGgsjjEN|accessdate=8 January 2015|work=Long War Journal|date=4 January 2015}} It was an ignominious moment for the MNJTF, and indeed the contributing nations. The political process of expanding the MNJTF was given new strength and energy which led to swifter progress, including the expansion of troop numbers and mandate, and relocation of the HQ to N'Djamena, Chad.{{cite web|url=http://www.peaceau.org/en/article/experts-meeting-on-the-elaboration-of-operational-documents-for-the-multinational-joint-task-force-mnjtf-of-the-member-states-of-the-lake-chad-basin-commission-and-benin-against-the-boko-haram-terrorist-group|title=Experts Meeting on the elaboration of operational documents for the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) of the Member States of the Lake Chad Basin Commission and Benin against the Boko Haram terrorist group -African Union - Peace and Security Department|author=Tchioffo Kodjo|date=|work=African Union,Peace and Security Department|accessdate=11 February 2016}}{{cite web|url=https://www.issafrica.org/pscreport/on-the-agenda/psc-to-approve-final-plans-for-the-regional-fight-against-boko-haram|title=PSC Report - PSC to approve final plans for the regional fight against Boko Haram|author=|date=|work=ISS Africa|accessdate=11 February 2016|archive-date=30 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150630005853/http://www.issafrica.org/pscreport/on-the-agenda/psc-to-approve-final-plans-for-the-regional-fight-against-boko-haram|url-status=dead}}

The most significant structural changes for the MNJTF that emerged from the meetings in 2015 were a rise in numbers, the creation of a new Concept of Operations under the supervision of the Lake Chad Basin Commission, and the move of the HQ to N'Djamena. It was agreed that a Nigerian officer would be the Force Commander for the duration of the mission against Boko Haram, with a Cameroonian as Deputy Commander and Chadian Chief of Staff. Major-General Tukur Yusuf Buratai (Nigerian) was appointed first Commander of the rejuvenated MNJTF in May 2015.Iroegbu, S. (2015) 'Military General Appointed Commander of the MNJTF', This Day (Lagos), 3 June 2015. However, his command was short lived as in July 2015 he was appointed Nigeria's Chief of Army Staff and handed command to Major-General Iliya Abbah (Nigerian) on 31 July 2015.Iroegbu, S. (2015) 'Buratai Hands Over MNJTF Command to Abbah', This Day (Lagos), 1 August 2015. Nigerian Major-General Lamidi Adeosun, was appointed MNJTF Commander in January 2016.'New Commander for Troops Fighting Boko Haram Assumes Duty', Premium Times (Abuja), 4 January 2016. Adeosun was in turn replaced as commander by Major-General Lucky Irabor in May 2017.Omonobi, K., Marama, N. & Erunke, J. (2017) 'Massive Shake-Up in Army', Vanguard (Lagos), 11 May 2017. In August 2018, Irabor was replaced by Major-General C.O. Ude.{{Cite web|url=https://prnigeria.com/2018/08/19/general-ude-mnjtf-duty/|title=General Ude Assumes Duty in MNJTF|last=Antigha|first=Timothy|date=2018-08-19|website=PRNigeria News|language=en-US|access-date=2018-12-29}} Maj Gen I.M.Yusuf took over from Ude, while Maj Gen J.J Ogunlade took over from Yusuf who handed over to Maj Gen Abdul Khalifah Ibrahim in August 2021. Thereafter, Maj Gen Gold Chibuisi took over command in 19 April 2023.{{cite web | url=https://www.thisdaylive.com/index.php/2023/04/19/chibuisi-assumes-duty-as-new-mnjtf-commander | title=Chibuisi Assumes Duty as New MNJTF Commander - THISDAYLIVE }}21.https://globalsentinelng.com/2021/03/19/ogunlade-takes-over-as-mnjtf-commander/ The current Force Commander is Maj Gen Ibrahim Sallau Ali who took over on 14 July 2023 as the tenth Force Commander.{{cite web | url=https://von.gov.ng/major-general-chibuisi-assumes-command-of-joint-task-force/ | title=Major General Chibuisi assumes command of Joint Task Force | date=14 July 2023 }}{{cite web | url=https://newnationalstar.com/mnjtf-general-ali-takes-over-as-force-commander/ | title=MNJTF: General Ali takes over as Force Commander | date=14 July 2023 }}

The Force is structured in four national sectors: Sector 1 (Cameroon) headquartered at Mora; Sector 2 (Chad) headquartered at Baga-Sola; Sector 3 (Nigeria) based in Monguno; and Sector 4 (Niger), based in the town of Diffa.Assanvo, W., Abatan, J.E.A. & Sawadogo, W.A. (2016) Assessing the Multinational Joint Task Force against Boko Haram. West Africa Report issue 19, Institute for Security Studies, Pretoria, https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/war19.pdf

There is still considerable skepticism in the international community that the new force can deliver results,{{cite web|url=https://medium.com/war-is-boring/the-african-union-readies-an-army-to-beat-boko-haram-694150ba6ebb|title=The African Union Readies an Army to Fight Boko Haram — War Is Boring|author=Peter Dörrie|date=30 January 2015|work=Medium|accessdate=11 February 2016}} and its success or otherwise as a multinational endeavour will be closely monitored.{{cite web|url=http://pncp.net/news/regional-multinational-joint-task-force-combat-boko-haram|title=A Regional Multinational Joint Task Force to Combat Boko Haram|author=|date=|publisher=|accessdate=11 February 2016}} Discontent has been voiced within coalition by Chadian president Idris Deby for shouldering disproportionate burden of fighting armed groups and announced confining its military operations to its boundaries.{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/04/chad-stop-participating-regional-fight-armed-groups-200410182054049.html|title=Chad to stop participating in regional fight against armed groups|website=www.aljazeera.com|access-date=2020-04-12}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/04/chadian-troops-kill-1000-boko-haram-fighters-lake-chad-200409183528130.html|title=Chadian troops 'kill 1,000 Boko Haram fighters' in Lake Chad|website=Al Jazeera|access-date=2020-04-12}}

On 30 March 2025, Niger announced its withdrawal from the Force.{{Cite web |date=30 March 2025 |title=Niger withdraws from Lake Chad military force |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/niger-withdraws-lake-chad-military-force-2025-03-30/ |access-date=4 April 2025 |website=Reuters |language=en}}