BY: ABDULKADIR M LAWAN, SEPTEMBER 09, 2026/ 04:10PM
Major General IA Ajose has been appointed as the new Theatre Commander, Joint Task Force (North East), Operation Hadin Kai.
His appointment and other senior military officers was announced in a statement issued by Wednesday by the acting director, army public relations, Col. Appolonia Anele.
According to her, the appointments is part of a strategic redeployment of senior officers across the Nigerian Army aimed at strengthening leadership and enhancing operational effectiveness.
Col. Anele said the redeployment aligns the service’s command structure with Nigeria’s evolving security environment and prioritises critical operational theatres.
Maj. Gen Ajose moves to the North East theatre from army headquarters, department of army operations.
He replaces Maj. Gen. AE Abubakar, who has been redeployed to the Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre as Dean, Faculty of Operational Research.
The COAS has charged all newly appointed officers to justify the confidence reposed in them through exemplary leadership, operational innovation, professionalism and unwavering commitment to the constitutional mandate of defending Nigeria’s sovereignty.
Other key redeployments announced include Major General AM Umar to Army War College Nigeria as Commandant, Major General UM Alkali to Army Headquarters Department of Civil-Military Affairs, and Major General RT Utsaha to Defence Headquarters Garrison as Commander.
At brigade level, Brigadier General MS Adamu has been posted as Commander of the newly established 8 Brigade, while Brigadier General MS Sule moves to 27 brigade as commander.
The Nigerian Army said it remains resolute in sustaining a dynamic leadership and force-employment framework to strengthen joint and inter-agency coordination and improve capacity to respond to contemporary and emerging threats.
Operation Hadin Kai is the military’s counter-insurgency operation focused on tackling Boko Haram and ISWAP activities in the North East theatre.