The outgoing Theatre Commander of the Joint Task Force North East, Operation Hadin Kai, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, says troops neutralised more than 1,106 Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists during his 17-month tenure.
Abubakar disclosed this during his farewell and engagement with humanitarian partners, representatives of the Borno State Government and members of the press in Maiduguri.
The commander, who served as the 15th Theatre Commander of the Joint Task Force North East, said the military recorded the gains through sustained kinetic and non-kinetic operations aimed at weakening terrorist networks and restoring normal socio-economic activities across the region.
Abubakar said several high-profile Boko Haram and ISWAP commanders were among those neutralised during his tenure.
They include Abu Bilal Al-Muniki, also known as Abu Mainok; Malam Jidda, Amir of Ngorgore and Malumti; Abu Modu; Modu Dogo; Munzir of Dogon Chukun; Abu Aisha, Qaid of Tumbun Mota; and Abul Kaka.
According to the outgoing commander, the loss of these commanders disrupted terrorist cells and increased pressure on insurgents operating across the theatre.
“The mandate given to Operation HADIN KAI when I assumed command was clear: to facilitate the restoration of normalcy in the North East so that socio-economic activities can thrive,” Abubakar said.
Abubakar said troops recovered more than 475 assorted weapons and 24,409 rounds of ammunition of various calibres during the period. They also discovered and safely detonated 295 improvised explosive devices between April 2025 and September 2026, preventing their potential use against civilians and security personnel.
The commander further revealed that an important focus of his tenure was targeting and disrupting financial and logistics networks supporting terrorist operations.
According to Abubakar, troops intercepted more than ₦300 million allegedly linked to terrorist financiers and arrested 758 suspected logistics collaborators.
He said the military also intensified operations against terrorist financial and logistics networks, leading to the interception of more than 300 million naira linked to suspected terrorist financiers and the arrest of 758 suspected logistics collaborators.
According to him, the sustained pressure contributed to a wave of surrenders, with 969 Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters and their family members surrendering within the last year.
He attributed the development to continued military operations and non-kinetic engagements that provided pathways for repentant fighters to surrender.
The outgoing commander also said troops rescued 638 civilians from terrorist enclaves, including 46 students abducted during an attempted attack on the Federal Government Girls College, Monguno.
Abubakar said the security gains also supported the return of more than 7,000 displaced families to their ancestral communities, with returned communities now recorded across all Local Government Areas of Borno State.
He further highlighted the voluntary repatriation of more than 3,000 Nigerians from Cameroon through collaboration among the Borno State Government, the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
According to him, signs of improving normalcy include the return of the National Youth Service Corps orientation programme to Maiduguri after 13 years and the resumption of WAEC and NECO examinations in communities including Banki and Gwoza.
He added that trade routes previously disrupted by insurgency have reopened, while markets in several communities have resumed operations.
The Theatre Commander also said Operation Hadin Kai received structural and technological upgrades during his tenure.
These include the operationalisation of Sector 4 to close an operational gap between Southern Borno and Northern Adamawa, as well as the induction of Nigerian Army Aviation helicopters and the Nigerian Army Remotely Piloted Aircraft System Regiment.
He said the upgrades improved the precision and effectiveness of air-supported operations, while the Military Command and Control Centre was upgraded to connect frontline surveillance cameras and provide commanders with faster access to operational information.
Abubakar stressed that the gains were achieved through the collective efforts of the military, security agencies, the Borno State Government, humanitarian organisations, traditional leaders, community stakeholders and the media.
He urged all partners to sustain the cooperation needed to consolidate the gains and stabilise communities affected by the insurgency.
Abubakar is handing over command of Operation Hadin Kai to Major General Ibikunle Ajose, who assumes duty as the new Theatre Commander.
Ajose, in his maiden address after assuming command, said the mandate of Operation Hadin Kai remained the restoration of normalcy and the creation of an environment where socio-economic activities could thrive.
He commended Abubakar for the progress recorded under his leadership and pledged to consolidate the gains.
He promised to use his operational experience and knowledge of the terrain to support efforts to end terrorism in the region.
The change of command comes as Operation Hadin Kai continues operations against remaining Boko Haram and ISWAP elements while supporting the resettlement of displaced populations across the North-East.
