The Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), has reinforced its civil–military and humanitarian partnerships following a series of high-level engagements with international humanitarian actors in Borno State, aimed at enhancing humanitarian access, security, and regional economic stability across the North East.
According to the Media Information Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, the engagements featured visits by senior officials of the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UN DSS) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
Leading the UN DSS delegation was Mrs Florence Paussin, Team Leader and Deputy Director, Department of Field Operations, who arrived from New York to deepen collaboration with OPHK on the safe delivery of humanitarian assistance to vulnerable and hard-to-reach communities.
She commended OPHK for its professionalism and sustained efforts to protect civilians and humanitarian workers, noting that the visit provided an opportunity to better understand the security environment and strengthen cooperation—particularly in securing escorts for UN personnel operating in the region.
Responding, the Theatre Commander, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, welcomed the delegation and acknowledged UN DSS’s critical role in enabling humanitarian operations.
He emphasized that OPHK conducts both kinetic and non-kinetic operations, with humanitarian support remaining a core priority. While noting that the security situation has largely been contained, he stressed the need for sustained vigilance and assured UN DSS of continued security support across the theatre.
In a related engagement, the ICRC delegation—led by Mr Yanich Buvhili, Team Leader and Head of Operations—called for deeper collaboration to ensure the safe delivery of humanitarian and medical services to internally displaced persons and other vulnerable populations in Borno State.
Mr Buvhili praised OPHK’s support, particularly in facilitating access for family reunification, healthcare delivery, immunisation, and nutrition programmes.
Major General Abubakar described the ICRC as a dependable partner, commending its contributions to restoring normalcy and supporting livelihoods through humanitarian assistance. He reaffirmed OPHK’s commitment to supporting ICRC activities, noting that improved security conditions—bolstered by ongoing operations—have significantly enhanced humanitarian access across the state.
The visits featured the signing of visitors’ registers, exchange of souvenirs, and group photographs. Also present were the Deputy Theatre Commander, Air Vice Marshal Olusola Akinboyewa, alongside senior staff officers and personnel of Operation HADIN KAI.
