Chad Basin National Park, UN OCHA Seek Stronger Collaboration with Operation HADIN KAI
The Conservator of Parks, Innocent Asuquo, has called for enhanced collaboration between the Chad Basin National Park and the Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, to strengthen security across national parks and forest reserves in the North-East.
Asuquo made the call during a courtesy visit to the Theatre Commander, Abdulsalam Abubakar, at the Headquarters of Operation HADIN KAI in Maiduguri, Borno State.
He stressed that no single agency could effectively address the complex security challenges facing the region, emphasizing the importance of sustained inter-agency cooperation to prevent terrorists and other criminal elements from using forests and protected areas as operational hideouts.
The Conservator commended troops of Operation HADIN KAI for their resilience, sacrifices and commitment to restoring peace, security and socio-economic activities across the North-East. He expressed confidence that the visit would further strengthen existing partnerships between both institutions.
Responding, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar appreciated the visit and reaffirmed the military’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with the Chad Basin National Park and other stakeholders involved in security and environmental management.
The Theatre Commander noted that evolving security threats require closer cooperation, particularly in addressing criminal activities within ungoverned forest spaces. He highlighted the role of park services and forest guards in biodiversity conservation, environmental security and community development, while urging effective management of park areas to promote tourism and deny criminal groups freedom of operation.
He also assured the Conservator of continued military support, including capacity-building initiatives aimed at enhancing operational effectiveness.
UN OCHA Seeks Improved Humanitarian Access
In a related development, the Deputy Head of Office of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Nigeria, Patricia Mucheche, also visited the Theatre Commander to seek deeper collaboration in improving humanitarian service delivery to vulnerable populations across the North-East.
Mucheche commended the military for facilitating humanitarian access to affected communities, describing the partnership between UN OCHA and Operation HADIN KAI as instrumental in reaching displaced and vulnerable populations.
She appealed for increased access to communities in need to enable more effective and dignified humanitarian assistance. She also advocated additional support for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), particularly during ongoing resettlement efforts and ahead of the rainy season.
In his response, Major General Abubakar described UN OCHA as a dependable partner in the military’s non-kinetic operations and acknowledged the organisation’s contributions to humanitarian assistance in the region.
He highlighted UN OCHA’s support in food distribution, nutrition programmes, gender-based violence prevention, emergency response, disaster management and family reunification initiatives.
According to the Theatre Commander, the partnership has significantly improved the welfare of vulnerable populations and supported the resettlement of displaced persons to their ancestral communities, enabling them to rebuild their lives and livelihoods.
He reaffirmed Operation HADIN KAI’s commitment to providing a safe and secure environment for humanitarian operations through sustained patrols, counter-improvised explosive device (IED) operations and other security measures designed to safeguard aid workers and affected communities.
The visits featured the signing of the visitors’ register, exchange of souvenirs and group photographs. Also present at the engagements were the Deputy Theatre Commander, Olusola Akinboyewa, the Chief of Staff Headquarters OPHK, Sani Ahmed, component commanders, principal staff officers and other senior military officers.
Chad Basin National Park, UN OCHA Seek Stronger Collaboration with Operation HADIN KAI