Troops of Operation HADIN KAI neutralised more than 1,106 Boko Haram and ISWAP terrorists during the tenure of the outgoing Theatre Commander, Maj.-Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar, he has said.
Abubakar disclosed this in Maiduguri during a farewell and introduction meeting with humanitarian organisations, Borno State Government officials and journalists.
The outgoing commander, who served as the 15th Theatre Commander of the Joint Task Force North East, said the figure was recorded through sustained military operations and non-kinetic engagements designed to weaken terrorist networks and restore normal life across the region.
He listed several high-profile commanders killed during the operations, including Abu Bilal Al-Muniki, also known as Abu Mainok; Malam Jidda, Amir of Ngorgore and Malumti villages; Abu Modu; Modu Dogo; Munzir of Dogon Chukun; Abu Aisha, Qaid of Tumbun Mota; and Abul Kaka.
“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.
He said the military’s definition of normalcy extended beyond battlefield victories to include the restoration of essential services, reopening of schools and markets, resumption of farming and the return of displaced residents to their communities.
Abubakar said troops recovered more than 475 assorted weapons and 24,409 rounds of ammunition during his tenure.
He added that troops discovered and safely detonated 295 improvised explosive devices between April 2025 and September 2026, preventing their use against security personnel and civilians.
The commander said troops also intensified efforts to disrupt the financial and logistics structures supporting terrorism, leading to the interception of more than N300m allegedly linked to terrorist financiers and the arrest of at least 758 suspected logistics collaborators.
According to him, sustained pressure on the insurgents, combined with non-kinetic engagements, contributed to the surrender of more than 969 JAS/ISWAP fighters and their family members within the past year.
He said 638 civilians were rescued from terrorist enclaves during the period, while all 46 students abducted during an attempted attack on the Federal Government Girls College, Monguno, were successfully rescued.
Abubakar said the security gains had also facilitated the return of more than 7,000 displaced families to their ancestral communities, with returned communities now recorded in all 27 local government areas of Borno State.
He also highlighted the voluntary repatriation of more than 3,000 Nigerians from Cameroon, describing the exercise as the result of collaboration between 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 improved stability included the return of the National Youth Service Corps orientation programme to Maiduguri after more than 13 years.
He added that WAEC and NECO examinations were again being conducted in communities including Banki and Gwoza, while previously disrupted trade routes and local markets had reopened in several areas.
The outgoing commander also pointed to structural and technological changes within the Theatre, including the operationalisation of Sector 4 to address an operational gap between southern Borno and northern Adamawa.
He said the induction of Nigerian Army Aviation helicopters and the Nigerian Army Remotely Piloted Aircraft System Regiment had strengthened air-supported operations.
Abubakar added that the Military Command and Control Centre had been enhanced to integrate surveillance cameras from frontline locations, improving situational awareness and response times.
He attributed the reported gains to the collective efforts of military personnel, other security agencies, the Borno State Government, humanitarian organisations, traditional and community leaders, the media and other stakeholders.
He urged them to sustain the collaboration needed to consolidate progress in restoring stability across the North-East.
Abubakar is handing over the Theatre Command of Operation HADIN KAI to Maj.-Gen. Ibikunle Ajose, who assumes office as the new Theatre Commander.
Operation HADIN KAI continues to conduct operations against Boko Haram and ISWAP elements across the North-East while supporting the stabilisation and resettlement of communities affected by the insurgency.
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