The Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, on Thursday spent the first day of the New Year with Nigerian Armed Forces personnel deployed to the North-East, as he undertook an operational tour of the Headquarters Joint Task Force, Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), Maiduguri, and the Naval Base Lake Chad (NBLC), Baga, in Borno State.
The visit, aimed at boosting troop morale and assessing ongoing counter-terrorism operations, saw the CNS engage frontline personnel actively involved in the fight against insurgency in the region.
At the Headquarters of OPHK in Maiduguri, Vice Admiral Abbas was received by the Theatre Commander, Major General A.E. Abubakar, who briefed him on recent operational gains, prevailing challenges, and future plans.
The Theatre Commander highlighted the effectiveness of coordinated land, maritime, and air operations, noting that seamless joint offensives had significantly degraded terrorist capabilities across the theatre.
Commending the efforts of officers and men of Operation HADIN KAI, the CNS assured them that identified operational challenges would be addressed promptly to enhance mission effectiveness.
The Naval Chief later proceeded to the Naval Base Lake Chad in Baga, where he was received by the Base Commander, Commodore Peter Gambo Yilme. During the visit, Vice Admiral Abbas toured the base and undertook a boat ride on Lake Chad, recently cleared to restore safe navigation and revive economic activities within the area.
In a show of solidarity, the CNS shared a New Year meal with officers and men of the Naval Base Lake Chad and the 196 Amphibious Battalion co-located in Baga.
He lauded their resilience and sacrifice, describing their deployment at Nigeria’s extreme North-Eastern flank as both challenging and critical to safeguarding the nation’s territorial integrity and securing inland waterways.
The presence of the Naval Chief in the North-East on New Year’s Day was described as a significant morale booster for troops deployed in the counter-terrorism theatre.
The visit also aligns with the CNS’ vision for the Nigerian Navy to build a mobile, agile, and professional naval force dedicated to securing Nigeria’s maritime domain and advancing national security objectives in synergy with other security agencies.
Accompanied by the Chief of Operations, Rear Admiral M.B. Katagum, and the Chief of Logistics, Rear Admiral S.H. Abdullahi, Vice Admiral Abbas reaffirmed the Nigerian Navy’s unwavering commitment to denying terrorists access to Lake Chad waterways through sustained, coordinated operations alongside sister services and other security agencies in the region.
The Nigerian Navy reiterated its resolve to continue supporting joint efforts to restore peace, security, and economic stability in the North-East.
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