The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 3 Division and Commander Operation ENDURING PEACE (COPEP), Major General Folunsho Oyinlola has received a team from the Armed Forces Command and Staff College including students from the Department of Land Warfare Junior Staff Course 100/2025 who were on routine study tour as part of their course requirements.
General Oyinlola also received students from the African Peace Institute for Social Research, Nasarawa State University, who have paid a study visit to the Joint Task Force Operation ENDURING PEACE (JTF OPEP) as part of their academic tour to Plateau State.
According to a statement by JTF OPEP, Major Samson Nantip Zhakom, the AFCSC team was received on Thursday November 13, 2025 at Maxwell Khobe Cantonment by the Chief of Staff, Brigadier General AU Gumel, on behalf of the Oyinlola, adding that “the primary objective of the visit was to provide the students with in-depth knowledge regarding the effectiveness of intelligence-led operations in tackling contemporary security threats within the OPEP Joint Area of Operation.”
General Oyinlola noted that the Internal Security Operations (ISOs), which was recently redesignated as Joint Task Force Operation ENDURING PEACE in 2025, evolved from an initial Special Task Force to address violence in Jos, later restructured as Operation SAFE HAVEN in 2015.
He highlighted OPEP’s nature as a multi-agency outfit comprising personnel from the Nigerian Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, DSS, NSCDC, NIS, and other relevant agencies.
The GOC emphasized that the synergy and intelligence sharing among these actors are crucial for addressing current security challenges. He encouraged the visiting students to be inquisitive and open-minded to maximize the learning opportunities available, which included detailed briefs and a guided tour of selected locations.
The Team Leader and Chief Instructor, Colonel MB Abubakar, confirmed that Operation ENDURING PEACE was chosen as the case study due to the relevance of the theme to the course’s requirements.
He praised the remarkable successes OPEP has achieved despite the complex and sensitive nature of its operations, attributing this success to effective intelligence gathering.
Colonel Abubakar specifically commended the briefing, noting that it comprehensively covered the conduct of the Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield, threat identification, and the integration of these intelligence products into operational directives.
The visit’s high points included an operational brief delivered by the Coordinator Joint Intelligence Fusion Centre, Lieutenant Colonel EK Effiong. This was followed by a robust interactive session, presentation of a souvenir, the signing of the visitors’ book, a vote of thanks by one of the students, and a group photograph.
Also, welcoming the students from the African Peace Institute for Social Research, Nasarawa State University to the Joint Operations Area (JOA), General Oyinlola, represented by the Chief of Staff, Headquarters 3 Division, Brigadier General Gumel, highlighted the crucial role of academic institutions in formulating policies that sustain internal security, promote peacebuilding, and foster national integration.
General Oyinlola described the theme of the visit – “Community Security Initiative for Sustainable Peace and Development in Africa,” as timely and in alignment with the mandate of the JTF.
He emphasised that the study tour underscores the importance of civil-military relations in promoting mutual understanding and development.
According to the commander, sustainable peace can only be achieved through collaboration with knowledge-based institutions capable of developing frameworks that enhance the operational capacity of security agencies in addressing security challenges.
The Commander further disclosed that the Armed Forces of Nigeria values intellectual engagement and will continue to provide platforms for interaction with scholars on strategies to strengthen national security within a multi-agency environment. He appreciated the African Peace Institute for Social Research for selecting JTF OPEP as part of its study tour and urged the students to produce well-researched reports containing actionable recommendations for enhancing national security and promoting peaceful coexistence.
In his remarks, the Team Leader and Director, Institute of Peace and Social Rehabilitation, Nasarawa State University, Professor Danladi Atu, commended the operation’s briefing, describing it as evidence-based and consistent with academic standards. He assured that the institute would continue to advocate for peace and civil-military cooperation to enhance internal security management.
Professor Atu reaffirmed the institute’s commitment to providing intellectual resources to strengthen national security, and he thanked the Commander for granting the request for the study visit.
Delivering the vote of thanks, one of the students, ACG Benito Eze mni, expressed appreciation to JTF OPEP for the warm reception and stated that the lessons learned would be applied to improving the country’s security system.
Highlights of the visit included an operations briefing, an interactive session, presentation of souvenirs, signing of the visitors’ book, and group photograph.
