Muhammed Abubakar, Reporting
THE Defence Attachés of the United Kingdom and Germany to Nigeria have reaffirmed their countries’ continued support and collaboration in the fight against terrorism and insurgency during a historic visit to the Headquarters of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) in Maiduguri.
Brigadier Tom Harper, the United Kingdom’s Defence Attaché to Nigeria, and Colonel Boris Bovecamp, his German counterpart, gave the assurance on Wednesday, 18 February, during their engagement with the Theatre Command.
Brigadier Harper underscored the strong mutual respect and enduring relationship between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, noting their shared commitment to the rule of law, democracy and human rights.
He commended the Nigerian Armed Forces for their efforts in tackling terrorism in the North East, particularly under Operation HADIN KAI.
He further expressed the UK’s readiness to deepen its support through additional training programmes facilitated by the British Military Advisory Team (BMATT), aimed at strengthening the operational capacity of Nigerian troops.
In his remarks, Colonel Bovecamp, Defence Attaché of Germany to Nigeria, said his visit was to explore potential areas for future collaboration, especially in capacity building.
He also indicated interest in possible interventions through regional cooperation frameworks to enhance operational effectiveness and foster stronger collaboration in the ongoing efforts to defeat terrorism.
Responding, the Theatre Commander of Operation HADIN KAI, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, lauded the significant contributions of both the UK and German Defence Attachés to Nigeria’s counter-insurgency operations.
He noted that various training initiatives have enhanced the skills and proficiency of troops in responding to evolving security challenges within the theatre of operations.
Major General Abubakar emphasised that the partnerships have been mutually beneficial and identified technical expertise, equipment provision and logistics support as key areas for future collaboration.
The visit concluded with the signing of the visitors’ register, presentation of souvenirs and a group photograph.
The statement was issued by Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, Media Information Officer, Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI, on 18 February 2026.
