Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar has officially assumed duty as the 15th Theatre Commander of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), succeeding Major General Waidi Shaibu in Maiduguri, Borno Stat.
The handover ceremony took place on Tuesday at the OPHK Headquarters in Maimalari Cantonment and was confirmed in a statement by Captain Reuben Kovangiya, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations.
Major General Abubakar brings with him over a decade of experience in operations, command, and military instruction.
His past roles include Commander of Sector 3 OPHK and the Multinational Joint Task Force in Monguno, as well as General Officer Commanding (GOC) 7 Division and Commander of Sector 1 OPHK in Maiduguri.
Most recently, he served as Deputy Commandant and Director of Studies at the National Defence College, Abuja.
In his farewell address, outgoing commander Maj-Gen Shaibu thanked officers and troops for their loyalty and cooperation during his tenure, describing his time in the role as both challenging and rewarding due to the numerous operations conducted across terrorist strongholds.
He urged continued professionalism in the fight against terrorism and encouraged troops to support his successor, describing Abubakar as a capable and well-experienced leader familiar with the operational terrain.
The ceremony featured the formal signing of handover documents, an address by the new commander to the troops, and a group photograph to mark the change of command.
