UK, German Defence Attachés visit Nigeria, pledge stronger anti-terror support

Abdullateef Fowewe

Defence Attachés from the United Kingdom and Germany visited the Headquarters of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) in Maiduguri on Wednesday, reaffirming their nations’ commitment to bolstering Nigeria’s fight against terrorism and insurgency in the North East.

The visit, confirmed in a statement shared on Thursday by Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, Media Information Officer at Headquarters Joint Task Force (North East) Operation Hadin Kai, underscored deepening international partnerships.

UK Defence Attaché Brigadier Tom Harper emphasised the “strong mutual respect and enduring relationship between Nigeria and the United Kingdom,” highlighting shared values like “the rule of law, democracy, and human rights.”

He praised the Nigerian Armed Forces’ efforts through OPHK and pledged further training via the British Military Advisory Team (BMATT).

Germany’s Defence Attaché, Colonel Boris Bovecamp, echoed the sentiment, stating he was there “to explore possible areas of future collaboration especially in the area of capacity building as well as possible interventions through regional cooperation arrangements to enhance operational effectiveness and collaboration to defeat terrorism.”

Theatre Commander Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar welcomed the delegates, lauding their contributions.

“Training initiatives have enhanced troops’ skills and proficiency in responding to evolving security challenges in OPHK,” he said, while pointing to future needs like “technical expertise as well as equipment and logistics support” for mutual benefit.

The engagement wrapped up with the signing of the visitors’ register, souvenir exchanges, and a group photograph, signalling sustained collaboration.