Operation Hadin Kai: Outgoing Commander Reports Major Gains Against Boko Haram, ISWAP
The outgoing Theatre Commander of Joint Task Force North-East, Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), Major General Abubakar Abdulsalam, has reported significant operational gains against Boko Haram and ISWAP during his tenure, with more than 1,200 terrorists neutralised and 758 suspected logistics collaborators arrested.
Abdulsalam disclosed this on Tuesday in Maiduguri, Borno State, during his farewell briefing, where he reviewed the operational activities and achievements recorded since he assumed command of the North-East theatre in April 2025.
According to him, troops also intercepted more than ₦350 million allegedly linked to terrorist financiers, recovered over 500 weapons and 25,000 rounds of ammunition, and destroyed more than 300 improvised explosive devices (IEDs) during the period.
He said the operations also focused on disrupting the leadership and support structures sustaining the insurgency, with more than 216 high-value terrorist commanders eliminated.
The arrest of 758 suspected logistics collaborators, he noted, further weakened the networks responsible for providing terrorists with food, weapons, ammunition, funds and other supplies.
Abdulsalam said sustained military pressure also contributed to increased surrender by members of the insurgent groups, as troops combined kinetic operations with measures aimed at encouraging terrorists to abandon the insurgency.
Beyond battlefield operations, he said the security gains facilitated the return of more than 7,000 displaced families to their communities, while over 3,000 Nigerians were repatriated from Cameroon.
He added that schools, markets and major supply routes in parts of the region had also reopened, allowing affected communities to gradually resume normal social and economic activities.
The outgoing Theatre Commander attributed the achievements to the support of the Federal Government, military leadership, the Borno State Government, troops and other stakeholders involved in the counter-insurgency campaign.
He expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Olufemi Oluyede, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, and the Borno State Government for their support during his tenure.
Abdulsalam’s departure follows a recent Nigerian Army redeployment in which Major General Ibrahim Ayodele Ajose was appointed as the new Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai.
The transition comes as the military continues operations to consolidate gains against Boko Haram and ISWAP and disrupt remaining terrorist networks across the North-East.
The outgoing commander’s operational scorecard highlights a campaign focused not only on neutralising terrorists but also on disrupting their leadership, logistics and financial networks while creating conditions for displaced communities to return home and rebuild.
Operation Hadin Kai: Outgoing Commander Reports Major Gains Against Boko Haram, ISWAP