ABUJA — Nigeria has appointed Major General Ibikunle Ademola Ajose to lead Operation Hadin Kai, the military campaign against Boko Haram and its Islamic State-backed splinter faction in the northeast.
Major General Ajose, who previously served at Army Headquarters in Abuja, replaces Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, who held the position since April 2025.
Army spokesperson Appolonia Anele said the appointment is part of a broader military reshuffle involving 14 other generals. Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu approved the redeployment.
Anele said the army aims to improve operational effectiveness, strengthen leadership, and align command structures with Nigeria's evolving security challenges. The army did not link the reshuffle to recent attacks.
The insurgency, driven primarily by Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), has killed more than 40,000 people since 2009, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project. Millions have been displaced.
The leadership change comes ahead of presidential elections scheduled for January. Insecurity—including insurgent violence, banditry, and kidnappings—remains a critical issue across Nigeria. During the last presidential election, security concerns disrupted voting in parts of the northeast.
