By ZAKAA LAZARUS
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has emphasised that sustained public support, timely intelligence sharing and effective collaboration between the military and civilian authorities are critical to defeating terrorism and achieving lasting peace in the North East.
This was contained in a statement issued on 17th October, 2026, by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele.
According to the statement, the COAS stated this on Saturday, 17th October, 2026, during a courtesy visit to the Executive Governor of Borno State, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, at the Government House, Maiduguri, as part of his operational visit to the Headquarters, Joint Task Force North East, Operation HADIN KAI.
General Shaibu commended Governor Zulum and the people of Borno State for their unwavering support to troops, describing their contributions as vital to sustaining operational momentum and consolidating security gains across the state.
He particularly acknowledged the state government’s interventions in logistics, provision of operational enablers, troop welfare and assistance to families of fallen heroes, noting that such support has significantly enhanced troops’ morale and operational effectiveness.
The Army Chief stressed that the fight against terrorism cannot be won through military operations alone, emphasising that public trust, community cooperation and timely provision of credible intelligence remain indispensable to identifying terrorist hideouts, disrupting criminal networks and preventing attacks.
He therefore urged residents to sustain their cooperation with security agencies, assuring them of the Nigerian Army’s determination to protect lives and property, facilitate the safe return of displaced persons and support restoration of normalcy across affected communities.
General Shaibu reaffirmed the Army’s commitment to strengthening collaboration with the Borno State Government, other security agencies and relevant stakeholders to consolidate operational successes and achieve sustainable peace.
Responding, Governor Zulum commended the COAS for his leadership and acknowledged the sacrifices, resilience and professionalism of the Theatre Commander, Sector Commanders, officers and soldiers of Operation HADIN KAI.
The Governor reiterated his administration’s commitment to supporting military operations, stressing that security remains fundamental to economic recovery, humanitarian interventions and sustainable development.
He further advocated stronger military-civilian collaboration to address lingering security and humanitarian challenges, particularly the safe resettlement of internally displaced persons and rebuilding of communities affected by insurgency.
