Borno: Army, civil defence deepen ties in fight against Boko Haram

Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have pledged to strengthen collaboration in the fight against Boko Haram insurgency in Borno.

The Acting General Officer Commanding 7 Division and Commander Sector 1 Operation Hadin Kai, Brigadier General Ugochukwu Unachukwu, made the commitment on Thursday when he received the new Borno State Commandant of the NSCDC, Mohammed Hassan Agalama, at the Division’s headquarters in Maiduguri.

General Unachukwu noted that the military would sustain joint training and operations with the NSCDC to protect lives and property across communities affected by insurgency.

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He said, “We shall continue to build upon the collaboration, particularly in joint operations, training, and response to operational needs when required,” he said.

Commandant Agalama, who assumed duty recently as the 12th NSCDC chief in Borno, said his visit was to establish working relations with the Division and to seek stronger coordination in tackling security challenges.

“Our role complements the Army and other security agencies, particularly in community protection and emergency response,” he stated.

The renewed pledge comes as Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters continue to stage attacks on communities and security formations in Borno, raising concerns over the safety of resettled populations.

Security analysts have long argued that inter-agency cooperation is essential in addressing the insurgency and in supporting state-led resettlement efforts.