by Christiana Gokyo, Jos
JOS: The Operation Safe Haven (a Plateau State-based security outfit) has been renamed as “Operation Enduring Peace” – with new equipment and Troop Deployment in Plateau.
This was disclosing on Friday by Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Gwabin Musa, who 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.
He was speaking at the Nigerian Army’s 3 Division Headquarters, in Bassa near Jos, when he noted that, “The change is as a strategic shift to strengthen military effectiveness and restore lasting peace across Plateau, Kaduna, Benue, and Nasarawa.”
According to him, “Today marks a significant and strategic transition in our ongoing commitment towards restoring sustainable peace, security, and stability. It is with great honour that I formally deactivate Operation Safe Haven and operationalize its successor: Operation Enduring Peace.”
General Christopher Musa affirmed that, “Operation Safe Haven has 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 said.
The CDS assured that, the new operation would focus on “intelligence-driven interventions, stronger inter-agency collaboration, enhanced logistics, and deeper community engagement,” adding that, “This rebranding is not cosmetic; it reflects a broader mandate and a stronger resolve to secure not just temporary safety, but a lasting peace that will endure for generations.”
While emphasizing that Operation Enduring Peace would adopt a “whole-of-society” approach, the CDS called on political leaders, traditional rulers, religious figures, and local communities to partner with the military in consolidating stability.
Gen. Musa further promised that additional personnel and operational assets would be deployed to boost effectiveness, alongside welfare initiatives for troops in the field.
He expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Ministers of Defence, the National Security Adviser, and the people of Plateau for their support, and advised the troops to embrace the new mission with renewed pride and discipline.
Speaking also, 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.
According to him, Operation Safe Haven had achieved relative stability over the years, but that evolving threats required a new operational posture.
He stressed that, their 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, and urged 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 (armored) tanks, and also addressed freshly-deployed troops, signaling a major up-scaling 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.”