The Theatre Commander, Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, has reaffirmed that the military remains committed to restoring lasting peace across the North-East to enable the return of normal life and economic prosperity.
Speaking while receiving the Bureau Chief of African Voices and Team Leader of the Italian Radio Television (RAI), Mr. Valerio Cataldi, and his delegation during a courtesy visit to the Headquarters of Operation HADIN KAI in Maiduguri on Tuesday, the Theatre Commander said the operation’s primary mandate is to restore normalcy across the region and create an environment where socio-economic activities can flourish.
Major General Abubakar appreciated the delegation’s visit and assured them of the command’s readiness to support professional, balanced and objective media coverage of ongoing counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations in the North-East.
He emphasised the critical role of the media in strategic communication, particularly in countering misinformation and presenting factual accounts of the Armed Forces of Nigeria’s operations. According to him, the combination of kinetic and non-kinetic operations, intelligence-led missions and sustained disruption of terrorist logistics networks has continued to produce significant operational gains.
The Theatre Commander noted that the military’s sustained operations have enhanced the protection of vulnerable communities, enabled thousands of internally displaced persons to return to their ancestral homes, improved security for farming activities, facilitated the recovery of weapons and combat equipment, and compelled the surrender of several terrorist commanders, fighters and logistics collaborators.
He further stressed that Operation HADIN KAI conducts all its operations in strict compliance with International Humanitarian Law and the Armed Forces of Nigeria’s Rules of Engagement, with a strong emphasis on precision targeting and mitigating civilian harm.
While acknowledging the evolving threats posed by improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and the increasing use of armed drones by terrorist groups, Major General Abubakar said the security situation across the North-East has improved considerably due to enhanced operational capabilities, specialised training, technological innovation and sustained collaboration with strategic partners.
Earlier, the Team Leader of the Italian Radio Television delegation, Mr. Valerio Cataldi, commended the Theatre Commander for the warm reception and detailed operational briefing. He said the visit was aimed at providing international audiences with an objective account of the sacrifices, resilience and achievements of Operation HADIN KAI in the fight against terrorism
Cataldi explained that the team would focus on documenting human-interest stories, the impact of terrorism and asymmetric warfare, as well as the progress recorded by the Armed Forces of Nigeria through engagements with troops, affected communities and surrendered former terrorists.
The visit featured a comprehensive operational briefing on the activities, achievements, peacebuilding efforts and current operational environment of Operation HADIN KAI. It concluded with an interactive session, the signing of the visitors’ register, presentation of souvenirs and a group photograph.
