By Nkechi Eze
The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Olufemi Oluyede, and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Waidi Shaibu, have commended troops of Operation HADIN KAI and ordered a renewed, intensified offensive against terrorist elements in the North East.
The two service chiefs arrived in Maiduguri on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, on an operational assessment visit to the Headquarters Theatre Command, Joint Task Force (North East), barely 24 hours after recent suicide bomb incidents within the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council.
In an official signed statement, the Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, disclosed that addressing officers and soldiers at the Maimalari Cantonment, the CDS praised troops for their resilience, sacrifice, and sustained operational pressure against terrorists across the theatre. He charged them to remain resolute and fully committed to their duties, stressing the need to consolidate recent gains and prevent further attacks.
General Oluyede directed commanders to intensify offensive operations, strengthen intelligence gathering and coordination, and adopt proactive and innovative strategies to dominate the battlespace. He emphasised the importance of maintaining operational momentum and assured troops of continued strategic support from Defence Headquarters toward the decisive defeat of terrorism.
In his remarks, the COAS, Lieutenant General Shaibu, also commended the troops for their dedication and consistent pressure on insurgents. He tasked field commanders to sustain the tempo of operations and enforce a firm “never again” posture aimed at denying terrorists any opportunity to regroup or launch attacks, particularly during critical periods such as Ramadan and beyond.
He further assured the Theatre Command of additional operational support and critical enablers to boost effectiveness, enhance force protection, and reinforce ongoing offensives across the theatre.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander briefed the visiting chiefs on the operational situation within the Joint Operations Area, outlining ongoing engagements, challenges, and recent successes. He disclosed that despite isolated setbacks, troops have maintained dominance through sustained offensive actions marked by commitment and professionalism.
According to the briefing, over 200 terrorist elements were neutralised in recent operations, while several others sustained severe injuries, significantly degrading their fighting capacity and limiting their ability to return to the battlefield.
The Theatre Commander reaffirmed that troops of Operation HADIN KAI remain resolute and undeterred, with a firm commitment to sustaining intensified operations aimed at denying terrorists freedom of action and restoring lasting peace and economic stability across the North East region.
