NIGERIAN ARMY RECALIBRATES STRATEGY AS COAS LAUNCHES FIRST OPERATIONAL TOUR IN MAIDUGURI

In a strong show of leadership and renewed military resolve, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, on Thursday, 6th November 2025, embarked on his maiden operational tour to the Joint Task Force (JTF) North East, Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) Theatre in Maiduguri, Borno State. The visit underscored the Nigerian Army’s intensified campaign to decisively end insurgency and restore lasting peace to the troubled North-East region.

In a statement released by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Lieutenant Colonel Appolonia Anele, the visit aligns with the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR, aimed at consolidating the gains of counterterrorism and counter-insurgency operations while pushing for the total annihilation of terrorist networks in the region.

Addressing frontline troops at the Maimalari Military Cantonment, Lieutenant General Shaibu commended their resilience and charged them to maintain unrelenting pressure on the remnants of insurgents until complete victory is achieved. He emphasized the need for sustained operations that would not only secure the region but also create an enabling environment for socio-economic recovery and normalcy to return.

The Army Chief reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the Soldier-First principle, assuring troops of improved welfare, logistics and operational support. He stressed that under his leadership, fairness, professionalism and the strategic deployment of competent officers would remain non-negotiable, adding that the Nigerian Army will leave no stone unturned in the quest to end insurgency once and for all.

During the visit, Lieutenant General Shaibu paid a courtesy call on the Shehu of Borno, His Royal Highness Alhaji (Dr.) Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Al-Amin Elkanemi, CFR. He solicited the continued prayers, intelligence support and cooperation of traditional institutions and citizens to complement the Army’s operations.

The Shehu, in his remarks, praised the Nigerian Army for its gallantry, sacrifices and humanitarian contributions, particularly during the flooding incidents that affected parts of the state. He noted that no local government area in Borno remains under the control of insurgents, commending the military’s role in restoring peace and stability. He pledged continued support through intelligence sharing and moral encouragement for the troops.

Highlights of the COAS’s visit included an operational briefing at the Theatre Command Headquarters, the commissioning of the newly built Heroes Transit Accommodation at Maimalari Cantonment and the groundbreaking ceremony for new residential quarters for corporals and below. The COAS also inspected combat platforms, visited wounded personnel at the 7 Division Military Hospital and met with frontline troops stationed in Bama and surrounding sectors.