The Flag Officer Commanding the Nigerian Navy Special Operations Command (SOC), Rear Admiral Olusegun Soyemi, has carried out his first operational assessment visit to the Headquarters of the Joint Task Force (North East), Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), in Maiduguri. The two-day visit, held from November 12 to 13, was designed to strengthen inter-service synergy and reinforce joint military operations in the North East.
Speaking on the purpose of the visit, the Media Information Officer of OPHK, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, said the engagement was aimed at deepening collaboration among the Armed Forces and assessing ongoing efforts to further enhance operational effectiveness across the Theatre.
Rear Admiral Soyemi said the visit provided an opportunity to review operational readiness, evaluate progress made so far, and identify areas requiring strategic intervention to improve service delivery in line with the mandate of the Special Operations Command. He emphasized the importance of deeper jointness among military components, noting that enhanced collaboration fosters effectiveness, flexibility, resilience, and improved information dominance across the theatre.
He explained that the Nigerian Navy’s renewed intervention in the region would serve as a force multiplier in the fight against insurgency and terrorism, aligning with the Navy’s spectrum strategy and national security priorities while supporting economic stability in the North East. According to him, the Navy’s Special Operations unit will continue to advance national security objectives through strengthened command-and-control mechanisms, particularly under the Naval Base Lake Chad.
The FOC commended the OPHK components for the detailed operational briefings, describing them as insightful. He assured the Theatre Commander that all issues raised would be communicated to the appropriate naval authorities for swift action.
Welcoming the FOC, the Theatre Commander, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, praised the Nigerian Navy for what he described as “unprecedented support” to OPHK. He noted that the maritime component has significantly boosted operations and enhanced the overall effectiveness of the Theatre. Major General Abubakar underscored the crucial role of maritime domination in securing the battlespace, stressing that it is vital not only for security but also for protecting economic assets in the region.
The visit also brought together senior commanders and staff officers from OPHK, the 7 Division Nigerian Army, and other components of the Joint Task Force. It featured the presentation of a souvenir to Rear Admiral Soyemi and a group photograph to mark the end of the engagement.
