The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa, has officially unveiled Operation Enduring Peace as the new identity of the Joint Task Force in Plateau State, bringing an end to the long-running Operation Safe Haven.
General Musa made the announcement on Friday at the Nigerian Army’s 3 Division Headquarters in Jos, describing the change as a strategic shift to strengthen military effectiveness and restore lasting peace across Plateau and adjoining states of Kaduna, Benue, and Nasarawa.
“Today, we gather to mark a significant and strategic transition in our ongoing commitment towards restoring sustainable peace, security, and stability,” General Musa declared. “It is with great honour that I formally deactivate Operation Safe Haven and operationalize its successor: Operation Enduring Peace.”
According to the CDS, while Operation Safe Haven played a vital role in addressing communal conflicts, curbing banditry, and stabilizing affected communities, it faced operational and structural constraints that often made responses appear reactive rather than proactive.
He stressed that the new operation would focus on intelligence-driven interventions, stronger inter-agency collaboration, enhanced logistics, and deeper community engagement. “This rebranding is not cosmetic,” Musa said. “It reflects a broader mandate and a stronger resolve to secure not just temporary safety, but a lasting peace that will endure for generations.”
General Musa also emphasized that Operation Enduring Peace would adopt a “whole-of-society” approach, urging political leaders, traditional rulers, religious figures, and local communities to partner with the military in consolidating stability. He assured that additional personnel and operational assets would be deployed to boost effectiveness, alongside welfare initiatives for troops in the field.
The CDS expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Ministers of Defence, the National Security Adviser, and the people of Plateau for their support, while charging troops to embrace the new mission with renewed pride and discipline.
In his remarks, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division and Commander of Operation Enduring Peace, Major General EF Oyinlola, described the rebranding as a “strategic realignment” designed to make operations more proactive and result-oriented. He noted that Operation Safe Haven had achieved relative stability over the years, but that evolving threats required a new operational posture.
“Our goal is clear: to consolidate the gains of the past, close existing gaps, and establish a sustainable framework for peace that will endure well into the future,” Oyinlola stated, calling on communities, civil society, and youth groups to strengthen partnerships with the military.
General Musa hoisted the new operational flag and commissioned newly acquired equipment, including armored personnel carriers, motorbikes, and tanks. He also addressed freshly deployed troops, signaling a major upscaling of the operation across the Joint Area of Responsibility.
The unveiling ceremony marked the formal end of Operation Safe Haven, which has been active in Plateau and surrounding states for years, and the beginning of Operation Enduring Peace, with security agencies vowing to usher in a new era of stability in the region.
SOURCE: MATTHEW TEGHA
