The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), on Saturday, disclosed that airstrikes carried out in a coordinated night operation on Thursday by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai (ACOPHD) eliminated over 25 terrorists at Bula in Yobe State and Banki, Borno State.

This is just as the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on saturday restated its commitment to ensuring the safe return of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their ancestral communities.

A statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, stated the operation followed intelligence reports from ground troops.

He added that a force package comprising Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) and attack aircraft was subsequently deployed.
Ejodame noted that the ISR platform established contact with ground forces, tracked terrorist movements, and identified multiple hostile groups north of Banki.

He explained that real-time updates were relayed to both ground troops and base operations, enabling synchronised action.

“Subsequently, the strike aircraft engaged the terrorists in three successive precision strikes on their movement routes and assembly areas, effectively eliminating more than 25 fighters,” he said.
Post-strike surveillance, he added, confirmed the presence of ground forces in defensive positions, with no further threats observed in the area.

Ejodame said the successful mission underscores NAF’s commitment to supporting ground forces, denying terrorists freedom of movement, and ensuring the security of Nigeria’s North-east.

Meanwhile, in a separate statement, NAF attributed the recent surge in Nigeria’s crude oil production to sustained air interdiction and ISR missions in the Niger Delta region.

Despite the federal government’s contract with Tantita Security Services to protect oil installations in the maritime environment, particularly in the Niger Delta, the NAF said the rebound in national oil output was due to its own operations under the Air Component of Operation Delta Safe (AC OPDS).

According to Ejodame, during a periodic briefing on 19 September 2025, the Commander of AC OPDS, Group Captain Abdulafeez Opaleye, reported that daily helicopter sorties across multiple states in the Niger Delta had disrupted access by saboteurs to pipelines, illegal refineries, and logistics hubs.

“These actions are contributing to a measurable rebound in national oil output, as evidenced in current industry statistics,” Ejodame stated.

He explained that NAF’s sustained presence over mangrove, riverine, and coastal terrains has become a critical layer of defence for Nigeria’s economic lifeline.

“Between May and August 2025, surveillance and attack platforms conducted multiple ISR, Armed Reconnaissance, and Pipeline Patrol missions across Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River States.

“These missions reportedly uncovered and destroyed dozens of illegal refining facilities, neutralised militant camps, and dismantled illicit oil theft networks,” he said.

Meanwhile, the DHQ has restated its commitment to ensuring the safe return of IDPs to their ancestral communities.

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, gave the assurance at Durumi IDP Camp in Abuja, during an outreach organised to mark the International Day of Peace.

Musa was represented by the Chief of Defence Civil-Military Relations, Rear Adm. Olusanya Bankole.

He said the armed forces had intensified operations to clear terrorists and other criminal elements from affected communities, stressing that beyond battlefield victories, the military remained committed to human security, peacebuilding, and development.

“Security is not only about defeating terrorists.

“It is also about food security, health, education, and the right to live with dignity.

“These palliatives are a temporary relief as we work to return families safely to their homes,” he said.

The CDS urged women and children in the camp to embrace peace and unity, adding that without stability, there could be no sustainable development.

“We are soldiers and we can fight, but what we want is peace. We want Nigerians to see us as partners in progress, not adversaries,” he added.

Linus Aleke

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