By Nkechi Eze
In a sweeping show of force that underscores its renewed operational tempo and intelligence-driven precision, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has conducted a series of devastating air interdiction missions that neutralised Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists and destroyed multiple bandit enclaves across Borno, Kwara, Katsina, Zamfara, and Kaduna States.
According to an official statement signed by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the coordinated strikes executed on 9 November 2025 represent a decisive phase in ongoing joint counterterrorism and counter-banditry operations under Operation HADIN KAI in the North East and Operation FANSAN YAMMA in the North West. The operations, he noted, were meticulously guided by real-time Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) feeds to ensure accuracy and minimise collateral impact.
In Borno State, air interdiction missions delivered a crippling blow to ISWAP terrorists entrenched in the Northern Tumbuns. Precision strikes were first conducted southeast of Shuwaram, before shifting focus to Mallam Fatori, where insurgents were observed mobilising with motorcycles and boats along the Lake Chad Basin. The airstrikes obliterated terrorist hideouts, logistics hubs, and weapons storage facilities, eliminating several fighters and disrupting their mobility networks. Post-strike assessments confirmed multiple neutralisations and extensive damage to ISWAP’s infrastructure, marking a significant setback for the group’s operations in the region.
Simultaneously, NAF aircraft under Operation FANSAN YAMMA executed precision bombardments over Garin Dandi and Chigogo in Kwara State, targeting notorious bandit camps based on credible intelligence. The coordinated strikes inflicted devastating losses on the criminal groups, causing panic and disarray within their ranks. In a related offensive, NAF air assets struck Zango Hill in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State, the stronghold of a notorious terrorist kingpin and his fighters. Guided by actionable intelligence and ISR data, multiple attack passes were carried out with remarkable accuracy, destroying key logistics points and neutralising several terrorists in what was described as one of the most decisive strikes in the area.
Demonstrating sustained reach and operational versatility, the Air Component of Operation FANSAN YAMMA (Sector 1) further conducted an armed reconnaissance mission across the northwestern corridor, covering key settlements in Zamfara, Kebbi, and Kaduna States, including Kakihum, Dankolo, Kotonkoro, and Kuyello known routes and hideouts for armed groups operating along the Birnin Gwari–Funtua axis. During the mission, coordination with Forward Operating Bases at Dankolo and Kotonkoro revealed suspicious movement near Wam Hill, where terrorists on motorcycles were spotted attempting to flee. The aircrew swiftly engaged the targets with precision-guided munitions, neutralising them instantly, with no further hostile activity detected afterward.
The success of these precision operations across multiple theatres of operation, Air Commodore Ejodame emphasised, reflects the strategic direction of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, who has consistently charged NAF formations to employ smarter, intelligence-led airpower in confronting evolving security threats. He noted that the intensified tempo of operations underscores the Air Force’s unwavering resolve to project purposeful lethality against terrorists and bandits, while ensuring the protection of innocent citizens and the restoration of peace across affected regions.
As the NAF sustains its air dominance and expands coordination with land forces, the latest string of precision strikes stands as yet another testament to its effectiveness in degrading insurgent capabilities, disrupting criminal supply chains, and bolstering national security.
