NAF DESTROYS TERRORIST HIDEOUTS, NEUTRALISES FIGHTERS IN BORNO

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has recorded a major operational breakthrough in its ongoing counter-insurgency campaign in the North-East, destroying terrorist hideouts and neutralising several fighters in Borno State.

The successful operation was carried out by the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI during a precision air interdiction mission targeting insurgent enclaves at Abirma, located in the southern axis of the Lake Chad region.

According to a statement issued by the Director of Public Relations and Information at Air Force Headquarters, Ehimen Ejodame, the mission was based on credible Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), which confirmed the active presence of terrorist fighters within the settlement.

Ejodame disclosed that aerial surveillance detected movements of insurgents around concealed structures hidden under dense vegetation — a tactic frequently used by terrorist groups to evade detection from both air and ground forces.

“Following positive identification of the targets and thorough verification in line with established operational protocols, NAF air assets carried out precision strikes on the locations,” he said.
The strikes, executed with precision-guided munitions, led to the destruction of multiple terrorist structures and significantly disrupted insurgent activities in the area.

Preliminary Battle Damage Assessment (BDA), according to the Air Force, indicates that the operation has substantially degraded the capacity of the terrorists to use the location as a staging ground for attacks across the Lake Chad Basin.

In a related development, NAF air assets, working in close coordination with troops of the Nigerian Army, successfully neutralised several terrorists during an attempted infiltration at Malam Fatori in Abadam Local Government Area of the state.

Military sources said the joint operation effectively repelled the insurgents and prevented them from breaching defensive positions, thereby strengthening ongoing efforts to secure vulnerable border communities.

The Air Force noted that the operations highlight its sustained reliance on intelligence-driven precision air power as part of broader joint military efforts to dismantle terrorist networks and support ground offensives.

Reacting to the development, the Chief of the Air Staff, Sunday Aneke, reassured Nigerians of the military’s commitment to sustaining pressure on terrorist elements across multiple theatres of operation.
He emphasised that ongoing air operations are focused on protecting civilian lives, safeguarding communities, and denying criminal and terrorist groups freedom of action anywhere in the country.

Aneke further stressed that the Service remains committed to conducting its missions with professionalism, strict adherence to rules of engagement, and compliance with internationally recognised standards aimed at minimising civilian harm.

The renewed offensive comes amid intensified military operations across the North-East, as security forces continue efforts to restore lasting peace and stability to the region.