COAS STORMS MAIDUGURI ON MAIDEN OPERATIONAL TOUR, CHARGES TROOPS TO ANNIHILATE INSURGENCY IN NORTH EAST
Maiduguri, Borno State | 6 November 2025
In a bold demonstration of renewed strategic resolve to stamp out insurgency and restore enduring peace to the North East, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, Nigerian Army Medal, on Thursday, 6 November 2025, embarked on his maiden operational visit to the Joint Task Force (JTF) North East (NE), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) Theatre, Maiduguri, Borno State.
The visit, conducted in line with the directive of the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, underscores the Nigerian Army’s reinvigorated drive to consolidate on the gains made in counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations, with the ultimate goal of completely annihilating terrorist elements in the North East.
Addressing troops at the Maimalari Military Cantonment, Lieutenant General Shaibu charged them to sustain relentless pressure on the remnants of insurgents until total victory is achieved. He emphasized the imperative of decisively dealing with the insurgents to ensure lasting peace in the region and to create an enabling atmosphere for socio-economic recovery and stability across the North East.
The Army Chief, who was on ground to assess the operational readiness of formations and units, reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to providing the necessary platforms, logistics, and welfare incentives to enhance troop morale and combat efficiency. He pledged to uphold and strengthen the Soldier-First concept of his predecessor, ensuring that troop welfare remains a top priority. He further stressed the importance of fairness, justice, professionalism, and the strategic deployment of competent personnel to mission-critical assignments.
According to him, “The Nigerian Army under my command will leave no stone unturned. We will pursue this fight with renewed energy, clear focus, and absolute dedication to end this menace once and for all,” he averred.
During the visit, the COAS also paid a courtesy call on His Royal Highness, the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji (Dr) Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Al-Amin Elkanemi, CFR. He solicited continued prayers, intelligence support, and cooperation from traditional institutions and citizens to complement ongoing military operations. He further assured the royal father of the Army’s capability and resolve to restore enduring peace and stability across Borno State and the wider North East corridor.
In his remarks, the Shehu of Borno commended the Nigerian Army for its gallantry, sacrifices, and humanitarian interventions—particularly during recent flooding incidents—stating that the humanitarian services rendered by the Army would never be forgotten by the people. The monarch lauded the Army’s success in restoring normalcy in the state, noting that no Local Government Area in Borno is currently under the control of terrorist elements. He pledged continued support through credible intelligence sharing and moral backing to ensure the total defeat of insurgency.
Highlights of the visit included an operational briefing at the Theatre Command Headquarters, the commissioning of the Heroes Transit Accommodation at Maimalari Cantonment, the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of 4 x 30-family Corporal and Below Quarters, inspection of combat platforms, and visits to wounded-in-action personnel at the 7 Division Military Hospital and Services, as well as frontline troops deployed at Bama and adjoining sectors.
The visit marks a new phase in the Nigerian Army’s counterinsurgency posture, reflecting the COAS’s determination to recalibrate operational strategies and strengthen the force’s combat effectiveness towards restoring peace and stability in the region.
APPOLONIA ANELE
Lieutenant Colonel
Acting Director, Army Public Relations
7 November 2025
