OPERATION HADIN KAI: Navy To Deploy Maritime Components To Lake Chad

Rear Admiral OO Soyemi, Flag Officer Commanding Special Operations Command (FOC SOC), undertook his maiden operational visit to Headquarters Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) and Naval Base Lake Chad in Borno State on 12–13 November 2025, underscoring the strategic deployment of Maritime forces in the Lake Chad theater.

During the visit, Rear Admiral Soyemi, accompanied by senior naval officers, received detailed briefings on the Maritime Component’s critical role in securing the Lake Chad Basin against insurgent and criminal elements.

The deployment of naval assets in this region enhances operational reach across the lake’s waterways, facilitating robust interdiction and surveillance capabilities.

At Naval Base Lake Chad, Baga, the FOC commended the personnel for their professionalism and dedication in maintaining a high operational tempo.

He emphasized the importance of their ongoing efforts to assert control over this challenging aquatic environment, which remains a stronghold for hostile groups.

Rear Admiral Soyemi further affirmed Special Operations Command’s commitment to reinforcing the Maritime Component with additional resources to sustain operational effectiveness.

This visit not only reinforced the Nigerian Navy’s integral contribution within the multi-agency Operation HADIN KAI framework but also highlighted the indispensable role of maritime power projection in securing Lake Chad and its environs.