Nigeria’s counterterrorism campaign in the North East is entering a more integrated phase as the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, called for tighter joint operations and sustained maritime dominance during a strategic visit to the Headquarters of Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, in Maiduguri.
Zig Diaries Defence Date: Thursday, 01 January 2026 Time: 17:20 WAT Location:📍Maiduguri, Borno State
The visit underscored the growing importance of jointness and multi domain coordination in degrading terrorist networks, particularly across the Lake Chad waterways where insurgent mobility, logistics and financing have increasingly converged. Addressing troops, Vice Admiral Abbas extended New Year greetings and conveyed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s appreciation for the operational gains recorded by the Armed Forces in the North East. He commended personnel for their courage, resilience and sacrifices, urging them to sustain pressure on terrorist elements and deny them freedom of action. The Naval Chief stressed that joint operations remain the backbone of modern warfare, noting that effective collaboration among the services enhances operational efficiency, accelerates response time and strengthens national security outcomes. He reaffirmed the Nigerian Navy’s commitment to maintaining a strong and continuous presence on Lake Chad to support ongoing military operations and stabilisation efforts. According to him, naval dominance of the waterways has played a critical role in restoring socio economic activities across affected communities, enabling fishermen, farmers, traders and transport operators to safely resume livelihoods. He emphasised that sustained coordination between land, air and maritime components is essential to consolidating these gains. Earlier, the Theatre Commander, Operation HADIN KAI, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, welcomed the Naval Chief and briefed him on current operational activities across the Joint Operations Area. He acknowledged the decisive contributions of the Nigerian Navy in the Lake Chad Islands, noting that maritime control has remained central to operational success and regional stability. As part of the visit, Vice Admiral Abbas carried out an on the spot assessment of naval facilities at the Naval Base Annex along Monguno Road before proceeding to the Naval Base Lake Chad Command in Baga. At Fish Dam, he interacted with troops and conducted a riverine patrol of the Lake Chad waterways to assess clearance levels and operational posture. The visit concluded with a New Year luncheon with frontline naval personnel, reinforcing leadership’s solidarity with troops deployed in the theatre. The Naval Chief also paid a courtesy visit to the Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, thanking him for his continued support to military operations. Governor Zulum commended the Navy’s achievements and called for sustained operations to preserve peace and support economic recovery in the region. The engagement brought together senior military and naval officers, including component commanders and principal staff officers, and featured operational briefings, interactive sessions and strategic discussions focused on strengthening joint force effectiveness. 🏷️ Tags: Nigerian Navy, Operation HADIN KAI, Lake Chad, Counterterrorism, Joint Operations, Borno State
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