The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), under the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI, has recorded another significant operational success following precision air strikes that destroyed a terrorist enclave and neutralised scores of terrorists at METELE in the Northern Tumbuns area of the Lake Chad Basin.
According to an official signed statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the operation was conducted in the early hours of June 10, 2026, after credible intelligence and subsequent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions confirmed the presence of a senior terrorist commander, terrorist hideouts and increased terrorist activities within the area.
The statement disclosed that acting on the intelligence, NAF air assets were deployed to engage the identified targets with precision. Upon arrival at the location, aircrew reportedly observed significant movement of terrorists around concealed structures, further confirming the presence of hostile elements within the enclave.
Following positive target identification, the aircraft executed coordinated strikes on the designated locations, resulting in extensive damage to the terrorist infrastructure.
According to the statement, post-strike Battle Damage Assessment confirmed the destruction of the terrorist enclave and the neutralisation of scores of terrorists operating within the area.
Reacting to the successful operation, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, commended the personnel involved in the mission and reaffirmed the Nigerian Air Force’s commitment to sustaining relentless pressure on terrorist elements across the country.
“We will continue to leverage our air power capabilities to locate, strike and destroy terrorist targets wherever they are found. The Nigerian Air Force remains resolute in denying terrorists freedom of action and ensuring they have no safe haven within our sovereign territory,” the Chief of the Air Staff stated.
The latest operation underscores the NAF’s ongoing efforts to degrade terrorist capabilities and support broader counter-terrorism operations aimed at restoring peace and security in the North-East region.
