NAF Launches Nationwide Airstrikes as Over 100 Terrorists Killed in North-East Battles

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has intensified its nationwide counter-terrorism campaign with precision airstrikes that wiped out scores of ISWAP terrorists in Borno State. The strikes, part of Operation Hadin Kai and Operation Fasan Yamma, also destroyed key bandit enclaves in Kwara and Katsina States, signalling a renewed offensive against insurgent strongholds.

Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, NAF’s Director of Public Relations, said the missions were guided by real-time intelligence, resulting in the destruction of hideouts, logistics hubs, and weapon depots in Mallam Fatori and Shuwaram. “Each mission reaffirms our resolve to use intelligence-driven airpower to protect lives and property,” he stated.

Simultaneously, the FCT Police Command, in collaboration with the DSS, local hunters, and vigilantes, launched special church patrols across forested border communities between Abuja, Kaduna, and Niger states. The initiative aims to secure places of worship and reassure residents ahead of the festive season.

However, while the military recorded successes, fresh kidnappings were reported in Kano State. Armed bandits invaded Faruruwa community in Shanono LGA, abducting four nursing mothers and stealing over 50 cows. The victims’ babies were reportedly abandoned as the attackers fled.

💔 “Our People Live in Fear”
Community leader Yahaya Bagobiri lamented that despite security deployments, the attacks persist almost daily. “We alerted security agents hours before they came, but no help arrived until it was too late,” he said, urging the federal government for stronger interventions.

In Nasarawa, Governor Abdullahi Sule has ordered a manhunt for gunmen who launched a midnight assault on Sarkin Noma community in Keana LGA. He described the attack as a deliberate attempt to destabilise peace and vowed that perpetrators would be brought to justice.

Meanwhile, in Kebbi State, Governor Nasir Idris declared that no territory remains under bandit control, commending security forces for pushing back insurgents who now retreat into neighbouring Zamfara. At a security summit, Sultan of Sokoto, Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar III, and former Army Chief, General Abdurahman Danbazau, urged northern leaders to address poverty and education deficits fueling insecurity.

In another major development, over 100 fighters were reportedly killed in a brutal clash between rival Boko Haram factions — JAS and ISWAP — in Abadam, Borno State. Security sources said ISWAP attempted to reclaim the island of Toumbun Gini but walked into a deadly ambush by JAS.

“This is a conflict within a conflict,” one source noted. “It’s the perfect moment for the Nigerian military to press harder and deny both groups space to regroup.”

Meanwhile, the Progressive Governors’ Forum, led by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma, has urged traditional rulers to invoke local and spiritual powers in the fight against insecurity, describing it as a “war that must be won both physically and spiritually.”

The coordinated offensives and community patrols mark one of Nigeria’s most expansive security operations in recent months — a sign that the fight against insurgency is far from over, but the nation is pushing back stronger than before.