The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has intensified its nationwide counterterrorism and counter-banditry operations, eliminating several members of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) in coordinated precision airstrikes.
The operations targeted terrorist enclaves in Mallam Fatori and Shuwaram in Borno State, Garin Dandi and Chigogo in Kwara State, and Zango Hill in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State.
According to a statement issued by Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, Director of Public Relations and Information, the missions carried out on November 9, 2025, marked a decisive stage in joint efforts under Operation HADIN KAI and Operation FANSAN YAMMA. The goal, the statement said, is to dismantle terrorist and criminal networks operating across Nigeria’s northern regions.
“In Borno State, NAF air interdiction missions dealt a heavy blow to ISWAP terrorists entrenched in the Northern Tumbuns,” the statement revealed. Guided by real-time Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) feeds, the air units conducted precision strikes southeast of Shuwaram and later at Mallam Fatori, where ISWAP elements were observed mobilising with motorcycles and boats along the Lake Chad Basin. The attacks reportedly destroyed insurgent hideouts, logistics depots, and weapons storage facilities, killing multiple terrorists and crippling their mobility networks.
Air Strikes in Kwara and Katsina
Simultaneous air interdiction missions were also executed in Kwara State, where NAF aircraft struck bandit camps in Garin Dandi and Chigogo. Acting on credible intelligence, the operations inflicted heavy casualties and caused panic among the criminals.
In a separate mission, air assets under Operation FANSAN YAMMA struck Zango Hill in Katsina State—the base of a notorious terrorist kingpin and his fighters. Multiple attack passes destroyed logistics hubs and neutralised several insurgents in what the Air Force described as one of its most decisive strikes in the region.
The NAF further conducted Armed Reconnaissance missions across Zamfara, Kebbi, and Kaduna States, covering areas like Kakihum, Dankolo, Kotonkoro, and Kuyello—known hideouts and routes for armed groups. During the operation, coordination with Forward Operating Bases led to the detection and elimination of fleeing terrorists near Wam Hill.
The Air Force credited these successful missions to a renewed operational tempo directed by the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, who has charged commanders to deliver smarter, intelligence-led airpower to secure Nigeria’s airspace and protect civilian lives.
Renewed Counterterrorism Efforts
The air raids come shortly after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s determination to intensify the war against terrorism and banditry, following US President Donald Trump’s stern warning to Nigeria to curb the killing of Christians by terrorists or face potential US military intervention.
“The task ahead is immense. But we are resolved to move forward with unity and purpose, to defeat terrorism and build a prosperous, inclusive, and resilient Nigeria,” President Tinubu said last week.
Air Marshal Aneke also reiterated this resolve in a recent strategy meeting with senior officers in Abuja, emphasizing, “We must fly smarter and strike harder; every mission must reflect professionalism, purpose, and patriotism.”
What you should know
The Nigerian Air Force has carried out extensive precision airstrikes in Borno, Kwara, and Katsina States, eliminating ISWAP and bandit elements as part of ongoing nationwide operations.
The missions align with President Tinubu’s renewed commitment to combating terrorism and come amid US President Donald Trump’s warnings to Nigeria to act decisively against extremist violence.
