The Nigerian Navy has deployed newly trained Marines to the Northeast, where they are working alongside troops of the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Air Force to contain terrorist activities in the Baga axis of Borno State.

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, disclosed this in an interview with journalists on the sidelines of the ongoing Chief of Naval Staff’s Retreat at the Naval Headquarters, Abuja.

He said the specialised naval personnel were trained with support from the United States and had already been inducted into operations in the Northeast.

The CDS said the Marines were performing well in collaboration with personnel of the Army and Air Force, particularly in checkmating terrorist activities around the Baga axis.

He said: “Talking about the Marines, this was a set of specialised ratings brought together this particular year. They were well-trained, with support from the Americans.

“They have already been inducted into operations in the Northeast, and they are doing very well, especially in the Baga axis.

“They are doing very well in conjunction with other services, the Army and the Air Force, in checkmating the activities of terrorists in that general area. We are very proud of what they are doing.”

Oluyede also reassured Nigerians that the armed forces were making efforts to improve security across the country, urging citizens to support military operations by providing timely and useful intelligence.

He said actionable information from members of the public would help security agencies identify and contain terrorist activities before they occur.

The CDS said: “It is important for us to reassure Nigerians that things are getting better.

“We are doing our very best collectively to make Nigeria safer. What we require from them is their support and prayers. If, for any reason, they see anything suspicious, they should tell us because everything we are doing relies on intelligence.

“So, we need community support and the support of Nigerians to move the country forward.”

The Nation reports that Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) has increasingly intensified joint land, air and maritime operations to disrupt the activities of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) around the Lake Chad Basin.

On October 28, 2026, the maritime component operating from Naval Base Lake Chad in Baga launched an offensive against suspected terrorist positions across the Lake Chad waterways.

The military reported that eight terrorists were killed and 10 others wounded during the operation.

On October 26, ground troops also launched an offensive against terrorist enclaves in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State, killing 28 terrorists and injuring six others.

According to the military, the operation was conducted based on actionable intelligence gathered through surveillance.

Kukawa is part of the wider Lake Chad operational theatre, which includes Baga, Tumbunma Baba, Gajiram, Mairari, and other surrounding areas, where troops have continued operations against insurgent groups. (The Nation)