By Reportcircle Abuja
The Theatre Commander of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, has moved to strengthen one of the most critical pillars of the North-East stabilisation agenda humanitarian partnerships.
In a week marked by high-level engagements, delegations from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Spain visited the OPHK Headquarters in Maiduguri, underscoring the strategic intersection of military operations and humanitarian response in one of the world’s most volatile theatres.
During the separate courtesy visits on Thursday, 13 November 2025, Major General Abubakar reaffirmed the Theatre Command’s commitment to deepening collaboration with global humanitarian actors working to alleviate the suffering of communities battered by years of insurgency.
Welcoming the ICRC team led by Diana Japaridze, Head of the Maiduguri Sub-delegation, the Commander praised the organisation’s “unwavering support” to victims of the conflict, noting the indispensable role the Red Cross plays in capacity building, emergency aid, and protection of displaced and vulnerable populations.
“We will continue to sustain and deepen the cordial relationship that exists between the Theatre Command and the ICRC, and explore more opportunities for cooperation,” he assured.
Japaridze, in her remarks, emphasised that the visit was part of the organisation’s ongoing assessment of the North-East security climate and a reaffirmation of its active presence.
She cited the ICRC’s core mandate: ensuring access to humanitarian aid and reuniting families separated by conflict.
Her delegation included Deputy Protection Coordinator Kouame Noel and retired Lieutenant Colonel Babatunde Lawal, the Armed Forces and Security Adviser.
The visit featured formal engagements, souvenir presentations, and group photographs.
In a parallel engagement, Major General Abubakar hosted the team from Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Spain, led by Country Coordinator Omer Sarikaya.
The visit spotlighted an often under-reported element of the North-East crisis: the escalating demand for emergency medical services amid restricted humanitarian access.
Sarikaya commended OPHK for its operational cooperation, stressing that MSF’s life-saving interventions in maternal health, cholera control, nutrition, emergency surgery, and sanitation rely heavily on military guidance across high-risk areas.
MSF continues to work in collaboration with the Borno State Ministry of Health and the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), despite formidable logistical constraints.
In response, Abubakar described MSF as “a reliable partner” in the broader stabilisation drive, reiterating that security operations and humanitarian response must move in lockstep to restore normal socio-economic life.
“Our mandate in Operation HADIN KAI is to facilitate the restoration of normalcy in the North East to enable socio-economic activities to thrive, and this can only be achieved through strong collaboration with humanitarian actors such as MSF,” he said. “You have our continued support.”
The twin visits attended by Component Commanders, Principal Staff Officers, and senior OPHK leadership reinforce the military’s growing emphasis on civil–military cooperation as a cornerstone of counterterrorism and post-conflict recovery in the region.
Interactive sessions, commemorative photographs, and the traditional signing of visitors’ books capped both engagements, reflecting a shared understanding: stability in the North-East will not be secured by force of arms alone, but through a united front where humanitarian and military actors work in coordinated rhythm.
