The Joint Task Force (North East) Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) has reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening collaboration with key stakeholders following separate engagements with the Chad Basin National Park and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) aimed at enhancing security and humanitarian operations across the North-East region.
The Conservator of Parks, Chad Basin National Park, Innocent Asuquo, made a case for deeper cooperation during a courtesy visit to the Theatre Commander of OPHK, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, at the operation’s headquarters in Maiduguri, Borno State.
Asuquo stressed that no single institution could effectively address the complex security challenges confronting the region, emphasizing the need for sustained inter-agency collaboration to prevent terrorists and criminal elements from exploiting national parks and forest reserves as safe havens.
He commended OPHK for its resilience and sacrifices in restoring security and stability across the North-East, noting that improved security had created an enabling environment for socio-economic activities and community development. He expressed confidence that the engagement would further strengthen existing partnerships between the park authorities and the military.
Responding, Major General Abubakar appreciated the visit and reaffirmed the military’s commitment to working closely with the Chad Basin National Park and other strategic stakeholders.
He noted that the evolving security environment requires stronger collaboration, particularly in addressing threats within remote and ungoverned forest areas often exploited by criminal groups.
The Theatre Commander highlighted the critical role of park services and forest guards in biodiversity conservation, environmental security and community development. He urged relevant authorities to ensure effective monitoring and management of protected areas to promote tourism while denying criminal elements freedom of operation.
Abubakar also assured the Conservator of continued military support, including capacity-building initiatives aimed at enhancing operational effectiveness.
In a related development, the Deputy Head of Office of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) in Nigeria, Patricia Mucheche, sought enhanced collaboration with OPHK to improve humanitarian access and service delivery to vulnerable populations affected by the insurgency.
During her visit to the Theatre Commander, Mucheche acknowledged the military’s support in facilitating humanitarian operations across the region, describing the partnership as vital to reaching communities in need.
She appealed for increased access to vulnerable populations to enable more effective and dignified humanitarian assistance, while also advocating additional security support for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), particularly as resettlement efforts continue and the rainy season approaches.
In his response, Major General Abubakar commended UN OCHA for its sustained humanitarian interventions, describing the organisation as a reliable partner in the military’s non-kinetic operations.
He highlighted the agency’s contributions in food distribution, nutrition programmes, gender-based violence prevention, emergency response, disaster management and family reunification efforts, noting that these interventions have significantly improved the welfare of vulnerable populations across the region.
The Theatre Commander further observed that collaborative resettlement initiatives had enabled many displaced persons to return to their ancestral communities and rebuild their livelihoods.
Reaffirming OPHK’s commitment to supporting humanitarian activities, Abubakar assured UN OCHA of continued efforts to provide a secure and enabling environment for aid operations through sustained patrols, counter-improvised explosive device (IED) operations and other security measures designed to ensure safer access routes.
He pledged that the military would continue to establish and maintain protected environments for vulnerable populations while supporting humanitarian partners in delivering critical assistance.
The visits concluded with the signing of the visitors’ register, exchange of souvenirs and group photographs.
Among those present at the engagements were the Deputy Theatre Commander, Air Vice Marshal Olusola Akinboyewa; the Chief of Staff, Headquarters OPHK, Brigadier General Sani Ahmed; component commanders; principal staff officers and other senior military officials.
