The Theatre Commander, Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, has reaffirmed the commitment of the military to protecting educational institutions and strengthening collaboration with the academic community to promote lasting peace and security across the North East.
Major General Abubakar gave the assurance during an engagement with university authorities at the Theatre Command Headquarters on Monday, August 24, 2026.
He described educational institutions as critical national assets, stressing that security and education are closely linked in efforts to build human capacity, strengthen community resilience and achieve sustainable peace in the region.
The Theatre Commander commended the university leaders for recognising the sacrifices and commitment of troops in the ongoing counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations in the North East.
He also highlighted the strategic role of universities in the non-kinetic aspect of counter-terrorism, particularly in countering radicalisation, misinformation and extremist narratives.
According to him, educated and resilient youths are less susceptible to recruitment by terrorist groups, while universities have a critical responsibility to promote patriotism, responsible citizenship and resistance to extremist propaganda.
Major General Abubakar said Operation HADIN KAI would continue to combine kinetic operations with proactive security measures, strategic engagement and intelligence-led protection of vulnerable institutions.
He urged university authorities to sustain the implementation of security recommendations, strengthen internal vigilance and maintain effective communication and information-sharing with security agencies to ensure early warning and timely response to emerging threats.
The Theatre Commander further stressed that sustained civil-military cooperation remains essential to protecting educational institutions and creating a safe environment for learning, research and sustainable development across the North East.
The engagement, he said, reinforces the shared commitment of Operation HADIN KAI and the academic community to strengthening campus security and safeguarding students, staff and other members of educational communities in the region.
