MAJ GEN ABUBAKAR HANDS OVER COMMAND OF OPERATION HADIN KAI TO MAJ GEN IA AJOSE

PRESS RELEASE

MAJ GEN ABUBAKAR HANDS OVER COMMAND OF OPERATION HADIN KAI TO MAJ GEN IA AJOSE

…as OPHK neutralises over 1,106 terrorists, recovers 475 weapons amid return of normalcy to North East

The Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), has witnessed a change of command as Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar formally handed over the mantle of leadership to Major General Ibikunle Ajose, who assumed duty as the 16th Theatre Commander. The formal handing and taking over ceremony was held on 15 September 2026 at Headquarters Theatre Command, Maimalari Cantonment, Maiduguri, marking the conclusion of Major General Abubakar’s tenure as the 15th Theatre Commander and the commencement of Major General Ajose’s leadership of the Theatre.

Ahead of the formal handing and taking over ceremony, Major General Abubakar hosted a Stakeholders Engagement and Media Parley as part of activities marking the end of his tenure. During the engagement, he reflected on the mandate and achievements of the Theatre, stating that the task given to OPHK when he assumed command was to facilitate the restoration of normalcy in the North East and create an enabling environment for socio-economic activities to thrive. He noted that over 7,000 displaced families had returned to their ancestral communities, while previously abandoned communities had been reoccupied across every Local Government Area of Borno State.

Major General Abubakar further highlighted the voluntary, safe and dignified repatriation of over 3,000 Nigerians from the Republic of Cameroon, the return of the National Youth Service Corps Orientation Scheme to Maiduguri after more than 13 years, the conduct of WAEC and NECO examinations in communities such as Banki and Gwoza, as well as the reopening of trade routes and local markets. On operational achievements, he disclosed that troops neutralised over 1,106 JAS/ISWAP terrorists, including notable terrorist leaders, recovered over 475 assorted weapons and 24,409 rounds of ammunition of various calibres, and discovered and detonated no fewer than 295 Improvised Explosive Devices. He added that over ₦300 million linked to terrorist financiers was intercepted, while no fewer than 758 terrorist logistics collaborators were arrested.

He added that sustained kinetic pressure, complemented by non-kinetic efforts, resulted in over 969 JAS/ISWAP fighters and their family members surrendering within the last one year, while 638 civilians were rescued from terrorist enclaves. The Theatre was also strengthened through the operationalisation of Sector 4, induction of Nigerian Army Aviation helicopters and the Nigerian Army Remotely Piloted Aircraft System Regiment, as well as the enhancement of the Military Command and Control Centre to improve frontline surveillance and situational awareness.

Also speaking during the Stakeholders Engagement and Media Parley, the Special Guest of Honour the Executive Governor of Borno State, His Excellency Professor Babagana Umara Zulum who was represented by Honourable Commissioner Ministry of Information and Internal Security Professor Usman Tar, commended Major General Abubakar for his responsive and decisive leadership, noting that he gave stakeholders no reason to doubt his command even under the most demanding circumstances. He particularly lauded his prompt response to actionable intelligence and described the remaining terrorists as a residue of what was once a formidable adversary. He also identified the establishment of a command-and-control centre linking units and formations across the Theatre, improvements in intelligence gathering, civil-military relations and personnel welfare as key initiatives that contributed to the successes recorded during Major General Abubakar’s tenure.