Humanitarian Partners Commend Operation HADIN KAI, Deepen Collaboration on Civilian Protection

International humanitarian organisations have commended the military operations of Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), saying recent security gains in Nigeria’s North-East have significantly improved humanitarian access to conflict-affected communities.

The commendation came during separate courtesy visits by senior officials of the World Food Programme (WFP) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to the Headquarters Theatre Command of Operation HADIN KAI.

Leading the WFP delegation, Head of WFP Area Office, Mr Emmanuel Bigenimana, praised the military for creating conditions that have enabled humanitarian agencies to deliver food assistance and other critical interventions to vulnerable populations across the region.

According to him, the improved security environment has facilitated safer and more efficient humanitarian operations, particularly in communities affected by years of insurgency and displacement.

Bigenimana stressed the need for sustained collaboration between humanitarian organisations and security agencies to address persistent challenges relating to food insecurity and humanitarian access.

Similarly, UNICEF’s Child Protection Section, led by Ms Mona Aika, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to working closely with Operation HADIN KAI in implementing the Children Associated with Armed Conflict Handover Protocol signed between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the United Nations in 2022.

Aika described the protocol as a vital framework for ensuring the protection, rehabilitation and reintegration of children affected by armed conflict.

She noted that the initiative remains critical to safeguarding children's rights and ensuring their dignified treatment within conflict environments.

Responding, the Theatre Commander, Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, expressed appreciation for the support provided by both organisations over the years.

He described WFP and UNICEF as dependable partners supporting the military’s non-kinetic operations and reaffirmed the commitment of Operation HADIN KAI to maintaining a secure environment that enables humanitarian agencies to carry out their mandates effectively.

The Theatre Commander also pledged continued support through enhanced cooperation, operational coordination, capacity-building initiatives and improved security arrangements aimed at strengthening humanitarian interventions and child protection efforts.

The military noted that the engagements reflected the growing synergy between security institutions and humanitarian actors in supporting community recovery, civilian protection and long-term stabilisation efforts across the North-East.

The visits concluded with the signing of the visitors’ register, exchange of souvenirs and group photographs attended by senior military officers and officials from both organisations.