BY: NEWS DESK, JULY 15, 2026/ 07:02AM
The leadership of retired members of the Nigerian Armed Forces and the Nigerian Legion in Borno State has appealed to the Theatre Command of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) for greater care and support for widows, orphans and persons living with disabilities within their associations.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by Captain Mohammed Goni, the OPHK's spokesman, the appeal was made on Tuesday, 14 July 2026, during separate courtesy visits to the Headquarters of the Joint Task Force (North East) OPHK, in Maiduguri.
The Chairmen of REMANAF and the Nigerian Legion, Maj. Tijani Mohammed (Rtd) and Lt. Commander Bukar Kyari (Rtd), respectively, congratulated the Theatre Commander, Maj. Gen Abdulsalam Abubakar, on his appointment and commended the improving security situation across Borno and the wider North-East.
While reaffirming their commitment to support ongoing counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations through intelligence sharing, community engagement and other lawful initiatives, the delegation drew attention to the welfare needs of vulnerable dependants of fallen and retired personnel.
They appealed for greater attention to retired servicemen, widows, orphans and persons living with disabilities within their associations, expressing confidence that closer collaboration with OPHK would strengthen support for veterans and reinforce the bond between serving and retired personnel.
In his response, Maj. Gen Abubakar acknowledged the invaluable contributions of military veterans to the operational successes recorded by OPHK.
He described REMANAF and the Nigerian Legion as custodians of the Armed Forces' rich heritage and institutional memory.
The Theatre Commander urged members to leverage their experience, professional expertise and community networks to provide timely, credible and actionable intelligence to aid operational planning and deny terrorists freedom of action.
He assured the delegation of the Theatre Command’s continued collaboration and support, adding that the sacrifices of veterans remain highly valued and that their legitimate welfare concerns would continue to receive appropriate attention.
In the statement, Maj. Gen. Abubakar further reaffirmed that OPHK would continue to integrate both kinetic and non-kinetic lines of operation to restore enduring peace, security and stability across the North-East, noting that partnerships with veterans and other stakeholders are critical to consolidating gains in the theatre.