By Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to supporting humanitarian operations across conflict-affected areas of the country, stressing that safe and unhindered humanitarian access remains critical to sustaining peace and stability in the North East.
The Army Chief made the declaration on Friday while receiving the Head of Office of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA) in Nigeria, Miss Danielle Parry, during a courtesy visit to the Army Headquarters in Abuja. He noted that the military’s strategy goes beyond kinetic operations to include the protection of civilians, support for humanitarian interventions and the creation of conditions for the safe return of displaced persons.
According to a statement by the Acting Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, the COAS described the longstanding relationship between the Nigerian Army and United Nations humanitarian agencies as a strategic partnership that has significantly strengthened humanitarian response and stabilisation efforts in the North East.
Lieutenant General Shaibu congratulated Miss Parry on her appointment and assured her of the Army’s continued support in providing security for humanitarian personnel, relief materials and critical supplies moving through operational corridors in the region.
He acknowledged the challenges associated with the ongoing decongestion of Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps and the resettlement of affected communities in Borno State, but maintained that the Army would continue to work closely with humanitarian organisations to ensure the process is conducted in a secure and coordinated manner.
The COAS further directed the Theatre Commander to strengthen security arrangements along vulnerable humanitarian supply routes, particularly the Dikwa-Gamboru Ngala axis, where remnants of terrorist groups continue to pose threats to humanitarian activities.
He emphasised the need for innovative force protection measures, enhanced convoy escort systems and stronger operational coordination between military formations and humanitarian agencies operating in the region.
Lieutenant General Shaibu also encouraged UN-OCHA and its partners to maximise available resources through improved forward logistics planning, including local warehousing and broader implementation of the Humanitarian Reset Initiative to sustain assistance despite declining international funding.
Earlier, Miss Parry commended the Nigerian Army for its consistent support in facilitating humanitarian operations across the North East, noting that millions of vulnerable Nigerians still depend on humanitarian assistance.
She disclosed that nearly six million people remain in need of support, even as global humanitarian funding continues to shrink, creating additional pressure on aid agencies operating in the region.
The UN-OCHA official identified security concerns in Gwoza, Bama, Damboa, Dikwa and Monguno as key obstacles to humanitarian access and appealed for sustained military support to enable displaced persons safely return to farming and other livelihood activities.
Miss Parry also requested increased military assistance in clearing Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and unexploded ordnance from resettlement communities, intensified patrols along critical supply routes and enhanced security escorts for humanitarian convoys. She reaffirmed UN-OCHA’s commitment to deepening civil-military cooperation, describing continued collaboration with the Nigerian Army as essential to protecting vulnerable populations, delivering life-saving assistance and advancing long-term recovery and development in the North East.
