Nigeria has appointed a new commander to lead military operations against Boko Haram and its Islamic State-backed splinter faction in the northeast, replacing the head of the operation less than two years after his appointment, an army spokesperson said on Wednesday.
The appointment comes ahead of presidential elections due in January, with insecurity remaining a major concern after years of insurgent violence, banditry and kidnappings across parts of the country.
Major General Ibikunle Ademola Ajose, who previously served at Army Headquarters in Abuja, takes over from Major General Abdulsalam Abubakar, the 15th commander of Operation Hadin Kai, who assumed the role in April 2025.
The insurgency by Boko Haram and its splinter group, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), has killed more than 40,000 people and displaced millions since 2009, according to data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED).
Security concerns disrupted voting in parts of northeastern Nigeria during the last presidential election and remain a challenge ahead of next year’s polls.
The army did not link the reshuffle to any recent attacks in the northeast.
The change was part of a wider military shake-up involving 14 other generals, which the army said was aimed at improving operational effectiveness, strengthening leadership and aligning command structures with Nigeria’s evolving security challenges, spokesperson Appolonia Anele said in a statement.
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