By Joseph Erunke

ABUJA-THE Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonisakin, Monday, said the Defence Headquarters has identified lapses that have resulted to failures in the joint operations of the Armed Forces of Nigeria in the prosecution of war against Boko Haram terrorists in the North East.

In what appeared like an apparent reference to the current inroads being made by Boko Haram terrorists in resisting high-powered operations of the military, resulting in deaths of some troops in recent time,Olonisakin said the development has necessitated the building of operational capacity for the Armed Forces.

The Chief of Defence Staff insisted that the Defence Headquarters, after reviewing some past and ongoing joint operations of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, identified the gaps in the planning and execution of joint operations. He, however, did not disclose the faulty areas.

Delivering a keynote address at the opening ceremony of the Advanced Joint Operations Planning Course, in Abuja, Olonisakin, who noted that the current trend in modern warfare brought about the need for joint operations among members of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, expressed happiness that the development had significantly degraded the Boko Haram capabilities and restored governance in the North East.

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Gabriel Olonisakin

“Notwithstanding these achievements, the Defence Headquarters has reviewed some past and ongoing joint operations and identified some gaps in the planning and execution of these operations, “he said.

Represented at the occasion by Rear Admiral Andrew Dacosta,Chief of Administration, Defence Headquarters, he disclosed that the identification of fault lines in the military operations in the North East brought about the need to build operational capacity for the Armed Forces of Nigeria in the planning and execution of joint operations.

Olonisakin said the course was designed to further enhance the understanding of participants in all the processes required for a successful planning and execution of joint operations, adding that it was expected that at the end of course, they would be well equipped with skills required for vertical and horizontal integration of plans during the execution of joint operations.

While informing participants that their selection cut across the strategic and operational level, he charged them to bring the knowledge they gained from the course to bear on the planning and execution of the ongoing and future joint operations when they return to their various service headquarters, units and establishments.

He expressed gratitude to the British Military and Advisory Team for the training cooperation between Nigeria and Britain, saying the British efforts towards building the desired capacity for addressing Nigeria’s internal security challenges were commendable.