A team from the Air Force War College Nigeria has visited the Headquarters Theatre Command of the Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI at Maimalari Cantonment, Maiduguri, Borno State, as part of an operational study tour of the theatre.
Speaking during the visit, the Commandant of the Air Force War College Nigeria and Team Leader, Air Vice Marshal Gambo Mbaka, appreciated the Theatre Command for hosting the delegation despite the demanding operational environment in the North East.
He stated that the visit was aimed at giving participants firsthand exposure to ongoing military operations and enhancing their understanding of operational and campaign planning, joint force employment, and the use of air power in contemporary warfare.
According to him, AFWCN Course 12, inaugurated on January 2, 2026, incorporates operational visits into its academic programme to bridge the gap between classroom learning and field realities.
Air Vice Marshal Mbaka explained that the college, as the premier professional military institution of the Nigerian Air Force, is tasked with developing officers in the effective employment of air power at the operational level and building qualitative manpower for efficient air operations.
He noted that evolving security threats require coordinated and intelligence-driven responses integrating air, land, and special operations within a joint operational framework.
The AFWCN Commandant further highlighted the contributions of the Nigerian Air Force to Operation HADIN KAI through intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions, offensive air operations, air mobility, and logistics support.
In his remarks, the Theatre Commander of Operation HADIN KAI, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, highlighted the progress recorded during ongoing dry season operations being conducted in collaboration with the Multinational Joint Task Force.
He disclosed that the theatre is currently in the kinetic phase of its campaign, with operational areas reorganised and troop locations expanded to improve coverage across the theatre.
Major General Abubakar emphasised the importance of air power in combating asymmetric threats, revealing that OPHK troops had recently neutralised hostile drones without casualties to ground forces.
To improve coordination during operations, he said the Theatre Command had established a Joint Fire Support Coordinating Centre to regulate air platform movements, assign operational tasks, and define arcs of fire.
The Theatre Commander described Operation HADIN KAI as a formidable force within the sub-region, noting that no operational position had been overrun or dislodged in recent times.
He added that troops continued to dominate the battlespace, neutralising scores of insurgents, including about 1,000 fighters and 67 commanders during the first quarter of 2026, while own troop casualties remained minimal.
According to a statement by the Media Information Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, the visit was attended by Component Commanders, the Chief of Staff of Headquarters Theatre Command OPHK, Field Commanders, Principal Staff Officers, and other senior officers.
Highlights of the visit included an operational briefing, interactive session, signing of the visitors’ register, exchange of plaques, and a group photograph.
