The Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) is a combined multinational formation, comprising units, mostly military, from Benin, Cameroon, Chad, and Nigeria. It is headquartered in N'Djamena and is mandated to bring an end to the Boko Haram insurgency. Niger was a member until its withdrawal in 2025.

History The task force was first organized 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. In 1998 it was expanded to include units from neighboring 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.

Brigadier General 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 and destroy the town, displacing many citizens. At the time, only Nigerian soldiers were present in the HQ. There were reports that they fled the attackers. 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.

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. There is still considerable skepticism in the international community that the new force can deliver results, and its success or otherwise as a multinational endeavor will be closely monitored. 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.

On 30 March 2025, Niger announced its withdrawal from the Force.

Strucutres

Headquarters

Office of the Force Commander Deputy Commander Office of Chief of Staff Civilian Advisor Police Advisor Regional Intelligence Fusion Unit Legal Adviser Mission Support Team Military Staff Chief of Administration Chief of Military Information Chief of Operations Chief of Logistics Chief of Plans Chief of Communications Chief of Civil-Military Cooperation Medical Officer Chief of Military Public Information

Sectors NameCountryHeadquarters (with AOR)UnitCommanderSector 1Mora, Far North Region4th Joint Military Region, Cameroonian Armed ForcesBrigadier General Dobekreo BoubaSector 2Baga Sola4th Military Regiment, Chadian National ArmyBrigadier General Djouma Yousouf Mahamat ItnoSector 3Monguno, Borno State19 Brigade, Nigerian ArmyBrigadier General G. M. MutkutSector 4 (former)Diffa (along the Yobe River)5th Military Regiment, Niger Armed ForcesColonel Mamane Sani Kiaou 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

MNJTF Commanders +No.PortraitNameCountryBranchTerm StartTerm End1Major General Tukur Yusuf BurataiIroegbu, S. (2015) 'Military General Appointed Commander of the MNJTF', This Day (Lagos), 3 June 2015.May 201531 July 20152Major General Iliya AbbahIroegbu, S. (2015) 'Buratai Hands Over MNJTF Command to Abbah', This Day (Lagos), 1 August 2015.31 July 2015January 20163Major General Lamidi Adeosun'New Commander for Troops Fighting Boko Haram Assumes Duty', Premium Times (Abuja), 4 January 2016.January 2016May 20174Major General Lucky IraborOmonobi, K., Marama, N. & Erunke, J. (2017) 'Massive Shake-Up in Army', Vanguard (Lagos), 11 May 2017.May 2017August 20185Major General C.O. UdeAugust 2018November 19, 20196Major General Ibrahim Manu YusufNovember 19, 2019March 19, 20217Major General Jide J. OgunladeMarch 19, 2021August 20218Major General Abdul Khalifah IbrahimAugust 202119 April 20239Major General Gold Chibuisi21.https://globalsentinelng.com/2021/03/19/ogunlade-takes-over-as-mnjtf-commander/19 April 202314 July 202310Major General Ibrahim Sallau Ali14 July 2023Present

See also Boko Haram insurgency G5 Sahel African Union Mission to Somalia United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur Force Intervention Brigade American military intervention in Cameroon

References