The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, have ordered an intensified offensive against terrorist elements in the North East, following recent suicide bomb incidents in Maiduguri, Borno State.
The directive came during an operational assessment visit by the military chiefs to the Headquarters Theatre Command of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), on Wednesday, March 18, 2026—less than 24 hours after the attacks within the Maiduguri Metropolitan Council.
Addressing officers and troops at the Maimalari Cantonment, General Oluyede commended personnel for their resilience, sacrifice, and sustained pressure on terrorist groups across the theatre of operations. He, however, urged them to remain resolute and fully committed to their duties.
The CDS directed commanders to intensify offensive operations, strengthen intelligence gathering, and adopt proactive and innovative strategies to dominate the battlespace and prevent a recurrence of attacks. He also assured troops of continued strategic support from the Defence Headquarters to ensure the decisive defeat of terrorism.
Similarly, the COAS, Lieutenant General Shaibu, praised the troops for their dedication and consistent operational efforts. He charged field commanders to sustain ongoing offensives and adopt a firm “never again” stance to deny terrorists any operational space, especially during sensitive periods like Ramadan.
He further assured the Theatre Command of additional support and critical resources to boost operational effectiveness, enhance force protection, and reinforce ongoing military operations in the region.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander briefed the visiting chiefs on the operational situation within the Joint Operations Area, outlining recent successes, ongoing engagements, and prevailing challenges.
According to him, troops have continued to maintain dominance in the battlespace despite isolated setbacks, recording significant successes through sustained offensives.
He disclosed that over 200 terrorist elements were neutralised in recent operations, with several others severely injured, thereby weakening their combat capabilities.
The Theatre Commander reaffirmed the commitment of Operation HADIN KAI troops to sustaining aggressive operations aimed at denying terrorists freedom of action and restoring lasting peace and economic stability in the North East.
