Odita Sunday 
Barely 24 hours after recent suicide bomb incidents in Maiduguri, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Olufemi Oluyede, and the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, on Wednesday led a high-level operational visit to the North-East theatre, directing troops to intensify the offensive against terrorists elements.
The service chiefs arrived at the Headquarters, Theatre Command of the Joint Task Force, Operation HADIN KAI, where they assessed the security situation and rallied troops at the Maimalari Cantonment.
Addressing officers and soldiers, the CDS commended their resilience and sacrifices in sustaining pressure on insurgents, urging them to remain steadfast in the ongoing counter-terrorism operations. He, however, stressed the need to consolidate recent gains and prevent a recurrence of attacks in the Borno State capital.
Oluyede directed field commanders to step up offensive operations, strengthen intelligence gathering, and deploy proactive strategies to dominate the battlespace. He assured troops of continued strategic backing from the Defence Headquarters to achieve the decisive defeat of terrorism in the region.
In his remarks, the COAS, Shaibu, also praised the troops’ dedication and operational successes, charging commanders to sustain the tempo of ongoing offensives and adopt a firm “never again” stance against insurgents.
He emphasised the need to deny terrorists any opportunity to regroup or launch attacks, particularly during sensitive periods such as Ramadan, while assuring the theatre command of additional support and operational enablers to boost effectiveness and troop protection.
Earlier, the Theatre Commander briefed the visiting chiefs on ongoing operations, challenges, and recent achievements across the joint operations area. He disclosed that troops had neutralised over 200 terrorist elements in recent operations, with many others injured, significantly weakening their fighting capacity.
Despite recent isolated incidents, the commander said troops had continued to maintain dominance through sustained offensives, reaffirming their commitment to restoring lasting peace and economic stability in the North-East.
The visit underscores renewed military resolve to intensify operations and curb insurgent activities following the latest attacks in Maiduguri.
About the Author
