THE MULTINATIONAL JOINT TASK FORCE AND NIGERIAN COUNTER-TERRORISM OPERATIONS IN THE LAKE CHAD REGION

The dynamics of terrorism and its transnational implications in the Lake Chad region necessitated a regional security engagement between Nigeria and its immediate neighbors. This led to the formation of the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF). The operation of this regional military force has been attracting attention due to cases of terrorist attacks in the region. Relying on secondary sources of data and using desk review method, this study examines the impact of counter-terrorism operations of the MNJTF in the Lake Chad region and assesses the challenges the force faces during counter-terrorism operations in Nigeria. The study found that the MNJTF counter-terrorism operation has been largely focused on coordinating national contingents, which operate following different rules and report to respective member states. As a result, counter-terrorism operations in the Lake Chad region remain uncoordinated. Considering the split of the main terrorist forces into different factions, as well as the fact that inter-agency coordination and cooperation between the Nigerian military and other security forces has been poor, the study established that terrorist groups usually seek refuge along the Cameroon and Chad borders, creating an environment for resilience along the Nigerian borders with its neighbors in the Lake Chad region. The study concluded that terrorist groups adapt to the nature of MNJTF counter-terrorism operations, while terrorists’ knowledge of the area and ties to the local population make it necessary for MNJTF to also recruit help from the local communities in order to curb terrorism in the Lake Chad region