COAS Vows Sustained Offensive Against Insurgents in Northeast
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant-General Waidi Shaibu, has reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to sustaining aggressive military operations against insurgents in the Northeast until they are completely neutralized and deprived of all forms of support. According to a statement issued in Abuja by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Lieutenant-Colonel Appolonia Anele, on Friday, Shaibu made the pledge during his maiden operational tour of the Theatre Command, Operation Hadin Kai, in the Northeast. The Army Chief charged troops to intensify their offensive operations, maintain high morale, and remain focused on their mission to defeat insurgent groups and restore enduring peace to the region. “The Nigerian Army under my command will pursue this fight with renewed energy, clear focus, and absolute dedication to end this menace once and for all,” Shaibu declared. He assured troops of continuous support from the Army High Command to ensure operational success, emphasizing that the welfare, training, and equipment needs of soldiers remain top priorities. Lieutenant-General Shaibu also commended the bravery and sacrifices of officers and men serving in the Northeast, urging them to remain professional and vigilant as they carry out their constitutional duties. The Operation Hadin Kai theatre remains the central front in Nigeria’s long-running counterinsurgency campaign against Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters, who have waged a violent insurgency in the region for over a decade.