Odita Sunday 
Chad Basin National Park, UN OCHA Strengthen Collaboration With Operation Hadin Kai
By Odita Sunday
The Conservator of Parks, Chad Basin National Park, Innocent Asuquo, has called for enhanced collaboration with the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), to strengthen security within national parks and forest reserves across the North-East.
Asuquo made the call during a courtesy visit to the Theatre Commander, Operation Hadin Kai, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, at the Headquarters of the Joint Task Force in Maiduguri, Borno State.
He stressed that no single agency could effectively address the prevailing security challenges in the region, noting that sustained inter-agency cooperation was critical to preventing terrorists and other criminal elements from using parks and forest areas as safe havens.
The Conservator commended Operation Hadin Kai for its resilience, sacrifices and commitment to restoring peace and security in the North-East, expressing confidence that the engagement would further strengthen existing collaboration.
Responding, Major General Abubakar reaffirmed the military’s commitment to deepening partnerships with the Chad Basin National Park and other relevant stakeholders.
According to him, the evolving security environment requires stronger cooperation, particularly in addressing threats within ungoverned forest spaces.
He highlighted the role of park services and forest guards in biodiversity management, environmental security and community development, while assuring the National Park Service of continued support, including capacity-building initiatives.
Meanwhile, the Deputy Head of Office, United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN OCHA) Nigeria, Patricia Mucheche, also sought deeper collaboration with Operation Hadin Kai to improve humanitarian service delivery to vulnerable populations in the region.
Mucheche commended the military for facilitating humanitarian access and appealed for increased access to vulnerable communities as well as enhanced protection for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), especially during resettlement activities and the rainy season.
The Theatre Commander described UN OCHA as a dependable partner in the military’s non-kinetic operations, citing its contributions in food distribution, nutrition support, emergency response, disaster management and family reunification efforts.
He reiterated Operation Hadin Kai’s commitment to providing a secure environment for humanitarian activities through sustained patrols, counter-IED operations and other security measures.
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