International Partners Deepen Humanitarian Support Through Engagement With Operation HADIN KAI in Borno State
MAIDUGURI, Nigeria — The Headquarters of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), has hosted a series of high‑level visits by senior representatives from major international humanitarian agencies, signalling strengthened civil–military cooperation in northeastern Nigeria. The engagements, focused on enhancing humanitarian access, safeguarding aid delivery, and bolstering regional stability, took place on Tuesday at the OPHK headquarters in Maiduguri, Borno State, and were described by officials as pivotal to improving conditions for vulnerable and hard‑to‑reach communities across the conflict‑affected region.
Leading the diplomatic and operational consultations was Mrs. Florence Paussin, Team Leader and Deputy Director, Department of Field Operations, United Nations Department of Safety and Security (UN DSS), who travelled from New York for the visit. Mrs. Paussin conveyed the United Nations’ commitment to deepening collaboration with the Nigerian military to ensure safe and secure humanitarian operations amid ongoing security challenges. During her visit, she emphasised the importance of understanding the prevailing security environment and forging stronger partnerships that would facilitate secure escorts for UN personnel operating in volatile and inaccessible areas.
In her address, Mrs. Paussin commended OPHK for its professionalism and its concerted efforts to protect civilians and humanitarian workers. She described the visit as part of a collaborative effort to enhance the safety of humanitarian missions, improve operational planning and coordination, and ensure that assistance reaches communities cut off by insecurity. Her remarks underscored the critical role of joint civil–military engagement in facilitating effective humanitarian action in contexts where access remains restricted by security constraints.
Responding on behalf of OPHK, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, Theatre Commander, welcomed the visiting delegation and highlighted the task force’s inclusive approach to both kinetic and non‑kinetic operations. He acknowledged that while security conditions in northeastern Nigeria have improved relative to previous years, persistent threats require continued vigilance, coordination and support from international partners. Major General Abubakar assured Mrs. Paussin of sustained security assistance to UN DSS operations throughout the theatre, reaffirming the military’s commitment to fostering safe environments for humanitarian actors to work alongside local communities.
In a parallel engagement, Mr. Yanich Buvhili, Team Leader and Head of Operations for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), also visited OPHK to reinforce cooperation aimed at ensuring the safe delivery of humanitarian and medical services throughout Borno State. Mr. Buvhili praised Operation HADIN KAI for its support to ICRC activities, particularly in enabling access for family reunification initiatives, healthcare delivery, immunisation campaigns, and nutrition programmes targeting internally displaced persons and other vulnerable populations.
The ICRC delegation sought to deepen operational collaboration with Nigerian forces to enhance the effectiveness of humanitarian interventions in areas severely affected by conflict and insecurity. The organisation’s work underpins life‑saving assistance, neutral support and efforts to uphold humanitarian principles in the face of adversity across the region. According to available figures, the ICRC and its partners have sustained humanitarian operations throughout northeastern Nigeria, addressing critical health, water, sanitation, nutrition and family trace‑and‑reunion needs for millions of people affected by years of conflict and displacement.
Major General Abubakar described the ICRC as a dependable partner in humanitarian response and reaffirmed OPHK’s commitment to supporting its initiatives wherever feasible. He noted that gains in security conditions—achieved through sustained military operations under Operation HADIN KAI, aimed at degrading Boko Haram and affiliated groups in the Lake Chad Basin and adjacent areas—have improved humanitarian access in several localities. The theatre commander underscored the importance of these partnerships in addressing the humanitarian consequences of protracted conflict, complementing the Nigerian military’s efforts to protect civilians and stabilise liberated communities.
Both engagements included ceremonial elements, such as the signing of visitors’ registers, presentation of souvenirs and group photographs, reflecting the formal recognition of the mutual commitment between OPHK and its international counterparts. Representatives from the task force’s senior leadership, including Air Vice Marshal Olusola Akinboyewa, Deputy Theatre Commander, along with other senior staff officers and personnel of Operation HADIN KAI, were present for the meetings and discussions.
The visits come at a time when the humanitarian and security landscape in northeastern Nigeria remains complex. Although military operations have delivered operational successes and constrained the territorial reach of extremist groups, pockets of insecurity persist, hindering reliable access to basic services and humanitarian aid in some communities. Government, military and international stakeholders continue to emphasise that long‑term stability hinges on close cooperation between security forces, humanitarian actors and local leaders to promote safe access, rebuild trust and support resilient livelihoods.
Civil–military coordination is recognised internationally as a necessary mechanism in conflict and post‑conflict settings, ensuring that humanitarian principles are upheld while addressing security imperatives. The latest engagements between OPHK, UN DSS and the ICRC illustrate ongoing efforts to strike that balance in northeastern Nigeria, reinforcing shared goals of safeguarding human life, upholding dignity and expanding humanitarian reach in one of the world’s most protracted humanitarian crises.
As the climate of cooperation evolves, both the Nigerian military and international partners are expected to maintain momentum in concert with broader stabilization and recovery initiatives in the North East, with particular attention on protecting civilians, facilitating sustainable access to essential services, and building confidence among affected populations.
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