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****** Nigeria: FG Merges Military Forces in N-Delta ******
Kingsley Omonobi
12 March 2009
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Abuja — IN a renewed effort to contain militants' attacks on oil platforms,
hostage-taking and piracy among others in the Niger Delta, the Federal
Government yesterday announced a major reorganisation of the joint military
task forces operating in the oil-rich region, merging Operation Restore Hope in
Warri with Operation Flush Out III in Port Harcourt.
With the merger, initiated by the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal
Paul Dike, and approved by President Umaru Yar=Adua, there will now be one
single Joint Task Force known as 'Operation Restore Hope= with headquarters in
Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.
Further, the task force will now be commanded by a two-star general who will
have a deputy while there will be Sector Commanders in Warri and Port Harcourt.
Maj-Gen Yakin Bello heads new outfit
Named as Commander of Operation Restore Hope is Major-General Sarkin Yakin
Bello. General Bello, promoted to the two-star rank last December was former
Commander of Operation Flush Out III, in Port Harcourt. He is to be assisted at
the headquarters in Yenagoa by Brigadier-General Nanvem Rintip, the former
Commander of Operation Restore Hope in Warri.
Confirming the development in Abuja yesterday, Director of Defence Information,
Colonel Chris Jemitola noted that "obviously, the new Joint Task Force will
have a new mandate for the Niger Delta,@ adding that the mandate is being
worked out by the Chief of Defence Staff and would be made public at an
appropriate time.
Explaining that one of the purposes of the merger was to make for better
command and control, logistics support and to maximize the synergy of efforts
from the three services, the Director of Defence Information said that General
Bello will report directly to the CDS.
Joint Military exercise to hold in Ondo
The merger is taking place just as the Defence Headquarters will this month
carry out the first Joint Operations Exercise nicknamed >Ologun Meta= which,
inYoruba, means 'The Three Warriors=, around Ori Oke Iwamema, Okitipupa, along
the coastal area of Ondo State.
The training exercise which would involve the Army, Navy and Air Force, is to
practice and test the planning and execution of the Tri-Service joint operation
and inter-operability of equipment in the armed forces.
Other areas of training are beach landing, and special operations to include
military operations other than war in phases of a limited war, Col. Jemitola
said, adding Athere will be large number of troops as well as military hardware
in that area and as such, members of the general public are advised not to
panic as this is just a military exercise.
Locals of the exercise area will be adequately alerted before the exercise
commences as armoured vehicles, fighter jets and naval gunships will be
deployed,@ he added.
Joint C'ttee set up to review harmonised conditions of service
Also yesterday, Air Chief Marshal Dike, approved the setting up of a committee
headed by a two-star general, with membership from the Army, Navy and Air
Force, to review the current Harmonized Terms and Conditions of Service
(HTACOS).
According to the Director of Defence Information, setting up of the committee
followed complaints and dissatisfaction from officers and men over the current
HTACOS.
To ensure that the committee came out with an all-encompassing report after its
sitting, which will last three weeks beginning from the 11th of March, the CDS
has approved that both serving and retired personnel of the armed forces are
invited to appear before the committee to suggest the best way forward.
Dike is expected to forward the committee=s report to appropriate authorities
for consideration and implementation after reviewing it.
Copyright © 2009 Vanguard. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global
Media (allAfrica.com).
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