The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Tuesday said it has intensify counterterrorism and counter-banditry operations nationwide with a series of precision airstrikes that neutralised Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists in Mallam Fatori and Shuwaram, Borno State, and destroyed bandit enclaves in Garin Dandi and Chigogo, Kwara state, as well as Zango Hill in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina state.
A statement by NAF spokesperson Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame disclosed that the coordinated mission, represent a decisive phase in ongoing joint operations under Operation HADIN KAI and Operation FANSAN YAMMA, aimed at degrading terrorist and criminal networks across Nigeria’s northern theatres.
He said, “In Borno State, NAF air interdiction missions dealt a heavy blow to ISWAP terrorists entrenched in the Northern Tumbuns. Guided by real-time Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) feeds, air assets conducted precision strikes southeast of Shuwaram before shifting to Mallam Fatori, where ISWAP elements were observed mobilising with motorcycles and boats along the Lake Chad Basin.
“The strikes destroyed insurgent hideouts, logistics hubs, and weapons storage facilities, eliminating several terrorists and crippling their mobility capabilities. Post-strike assessments confirmed multiple neutralisations and a significant degradation of ISWAP’s operational networks in the area.”
According to him, NAF aircraft carried out precision air interdiction missions over Garin Dandi and Chigogo in Kwara State, striking bandit camps with devastating accuracy based on credible intelligence.
“The attacks caused panic and inflicted heavy losses among the criminals. In a related operation, air assets under Operation FANSAN YAMMA struck Zango Hill in Kankara LGA, Katsina state, the hideout of a terrorist kingpin and his fighters.
“Guided by actionable intelligence and ISR surveillance, multiple attack passes were executed, destroying key logistics hubs and neutralising several of the terrorists in one of the most decisive strikes in the region.”
He added that demonstrating sustained reach and precision, the Air Component of Operation FANSAN YAMMA (Sector 1) conducted an Armed Reconnaissance mission across the northwest corridor, covering key settlements in Zamfara, Kebbi, and Kaduna States, including Kakihum, Dankolo, Kotonkoro, and Kuyello.
“These locations serve as known routes and hideouts for armed groups 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 and neutralised the targets, with no further hostile activity observed.
“The success of these precision operations across Borno, Kwara, Katsina, and the wider northwestern corridor underscores the Nigerian Air Force’s renewed tempo following the directives of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke. Each mission reaffirms NAF’s resolve to project smarter and intelligence driven airpower to project purposeful lethality against insurgents and criminals while protecting the lives and properties of citizens towards enhancing national security” he added.
