Army Operations Chief Rallies Troops in North East, Urges Innovation in Fight Against Terrorism

THE Chief of Operations (Army), Major General Uwem Bassey, has called on field commanders of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), to sustain momentum and embrace innovative strategies in the battle against insurgency.

Maj Gen Bassey made the call during an operational assessment visit to Headquarters Theatre Command OPHK, Maiduguri, between Wednesday 24 and Thursday 25 September 2025. The visit was carried out on behalf of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Olufemi Oluyede, and aimed at evaluating operational effectiveness, boosting troop morale, and ensuring strategic alignment.

Speaking during the tour, Maj Gen Bassey conveyed the COAS’s determination to engage commanders directly and address challenges requiring urgent intervention. He urged troops to “go all out, dominate every space, and deny terrorists freedom of action,” insisting that innovative approaches were essential for decisive outcomes.

The Operations Chief stressed the importance of jointness in the campaign, urging the land, air, and maritime components of OPHK to deepen cooperation with other security agencies. “Collective effort is crucial in dismantling terrorist networks,” he said, while commending the synergy already achieved in the theatre.

His visit featured interactive sessions with sector and component commanders and took him to key locations including 21 Armoured Special Brigade, Bama; 151 Battalion, Banki Junction; 152 Battalion, Banki; and the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bula Yobe. At each stop, he was briefed on operational activities and challenges, assuring troops that issues raised would receive urgent attention.

Maj Gen Bassey praised the troops for their “impressive battle performance” and urged them to sustain the tempo, warning that the Nigerian Army would not tolerate indiscipline or cowardice. He encouraged personnel to fully utilise available firepower and maintain an aggressive posture against terrorists.

He also met members of the Hybrid Forces and Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), conveying the COAS’s appreciation for their critical role as “sons of the soil” defending their communities. He urged them to remain loyal, courageous, and steadfast.

Warning against intelligence leaks to terrorists, he said: “Some may appear friendly by day but act as enemies by night. Such conduct will not be tolerated.”

Maj Gen Bassey reassured troops and auxiliary forces of continued support, declaring: “We must all stand firm, remain disciplined, and fight with every resource at our disposal until terrorism is decisively defeated.”