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The Headquarters of Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), in partnership with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), has convened a Humanitarian/Civil-Military Coordination Roundtable to strengthen the protection of civilians and improve humanitarian access across the North East.
The roundtable, held on Thursday at the OPHK Conference Room in Maiduguri, brought together representatives of humanitarian organisations, the Borno State Government and other key stakeholders to deliberate on security and humanitarian challenges affecting communities in Borno, Adamawa and Yobe states.
The engagement was co-chaired by the Theatre Commander, OPHK, Major General AE Abubakar, and the Deputy Head of Office, UN OCHA North East Nigeria, Patricia Mucheche.
Participants received briefings on the humanitarian activities and stabilisation efforts of Operation HADIN KAI before engaging in discussions on improving coordination, facilitating humanitarian access and delivering more effective assistance to conflict-affected communities.
In his keynote address, Major General Abubakar described the meeting as timely, noting that it was the first Humanitarian Roundtable between OPHK and humanitarian partners in four years.
He said the engagement was in line with the Chief of Army Staff’s directive to strengthen the Nigerian Army’s humanitarian support efforts, stressing that although military operations remain necessary to degrade the capabilities of terrorist groups, the humanitarian line of effort is equally critical.
According to him, protecting civilians, facilitating the safe return of displaced persons and restoring socio-economic activities cannot be achieved through military action alone.
The Theatre Commander identified the protection of civilians and recently relocated internally displaced persons, security of humanitarian supply routes, protection of farmers and livelihoods, and strengthening oversight and discipline as key areas requiring improved coordination.
He also highlighted challenges including improvised explosive device threats, movement of large volumes of cash, access restrictions, security of humanitarian personnel and assets, as well as funding constraints.
Major General Abubakar called for open and constructive dialogue between the military and humanitarian community, while appreciating UN OCHA, humanitarian partners and the International Committee of the Red Cross for their continued support to affected communities and capacity-building initiatives for OPHK personnel.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, also reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to providing the security required for the safe movement of humanitarian workers, relief materials and critical supplies along key operational corridors.
Shaibu stressed that safe humanitarian access was central to civilian protection, stabilisation and the safe and dignified return of displaced persons, while calling for innovative force-protection measures, effective convoy escorts and stronger operational coordination between the military and humanitarian organisations.
Speaking on behalf of UN OCHA, Patricia Mucheche acknowledged the organisation’s collaboration with the military in facilitating the delivery of humanitarian assistance across the North East.
She called for enhanced patrols along major supply routes and drew attention to the dangers posed by unexploded ordnance, while emphasising the need to protect communities where internally displaced persons have been relocated.
Mucheche stressed that the protection of civilians must remain at the centre of the humanitarian response.
In his closing remarks, the Deputy Theatre Commander, Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI, Air Vice Marshal OF Akinboyewa, said the issues discussed at the roundtable directly affected the ability of communities to return home, rebuild their lives and pursue livelihoods safely.
He said sustained military operations were continuing to degrade the capacity of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), thereby creating greater space for humanitarian action, stabilisation and the restoration of normal life.
Akinboyewa emphasised that the ultimate measure of military success should be the ability of citizens to live, move and pursue their livelihoods without fear.
He assured participants that OPHK would continue to secure critical routes and population centres, protect civilian livelihoods, strengthen oversight and discipline, and maintain a predictable coordination framework with humanitarian partners.
He further assured that recommendations from the roundtable would be carefully considered and followed through, stressing that the collective objective was to move communities from emergency assistance towards recovery, resilience and sustainable development.
Operation HADIN KAI, he said, remained committed to deepening its partnership with the humanitarian community towards restoring stability, dignity and normalcy across the North East.
