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.