Nigerian Army airlifts 352 troops as COAS welfare flights hit 34,466 personnel
Nigerian Army Airlifts 352 Personnel in Support of Counter-Insurgency Operations
The Nigerian Army has conducted a welfare flight, airlifting 352 military personnel to and from the North-East region as part of the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Welfare Flight program. This initiative aims to enhance support for troops engaged in the ongoing counter-insurgency campaign, known as Operation HADIN KAI.
This airlift was reported by security analyst Zagazola Makama. The first COAS Welfare Flight of August 2026 was successfully executed on August 1, utilizing a chartered ValueJet aircraft to facilitate the movement and rotation of personnel in the operational theater.
According to Makama, the aircraft transported 177 personnel into the Operation HADIN KAI area while bringing 175 personnel back, totaling 352 troops involved in this operation.
The recent flight increased the cumulative number of personnel transferred under the COAS Welfare Flight initiative to 34,466, as stated in the report.
Launched to improve troop welfare, the welfare flight initiative aims to ease movement in and out of operational areas, ensure timely personnel deployment, facilitate rotations, and enhance operational effectiveness.
Military authorities have confirmed that this latest airlift operation was completed without any security or logistical incidents. The initiative continues to be a key strategy for the Nigerian Army to bolster troop morale by streamlining personnel rotations in the North-East, where the fight against insurgency persists.
