The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has recorded a major breakthrough in the fight against insurgency, killing scores of terrorists, including top commanders, during a precision airstrike operation on terrorist enclaves in the Lake Chad Basin.
The operation, carried out by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai, targeted insurgent hideouts in the Northern Tumbuns area around Metele, a notorious terrorist stronghold in Borno State.
The latest offensive comes amid intensified military efforts to dismantle terrorist networks operating in the region, following a series of attacks and ambushes on troops deployed in the North-East.
Confirming the operation on Thursday, June 11, 2026, the Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said the strikes were executed in the early hours of Wednesday after intelligence reports identified the presence of senior terrorist leaders and heightened insurgent activities within the area.
According to him, the operation was preceded by extensive Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions, which verified the location of the terrorists and their operational bases.
“Acting on the intelligence, NAF air assets engaged the identified targets with precision. Upon arrival, aircrew observed significant terrorist movement around the concealed structures, confirming the presence of hostile elements,” Ejodame said.
“Following positive target identification, the aircraft executed devastating strikes on the designated locations. Post-strike Battle Damage Assessment confirmed the destruction of the terrorist enclave and the neutralisation of scores of terrorists.”
Military sources said the targeted locations had served as operational bases for insurgents responsible for repeated attacks on troops in the Lake Chad region.
The successful operation is expected to significantly degrade the terrorists’ fighting capacity and disrupt ongoing plans against military formations and civilian communities.
Ejodame disclosed that the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, commended the personnel involved in the mission and reaffirmed the Air Force’s resolve to sustain relentless pressure on terrorist groups across the country.
“We will continue to leverage our air power capabilities to locate, strike and destroy terrorist targets wherever they are found,” the Air Chief stated.
“The Nigerian Air Force remains resolute in denying terrorists freedom of action and ensuring they have no safe haven within our sovereign territory.”
The latest air offensive underscores the military’s ongoing campaign to reclaim terrorist-controlled areas and restore lasting security in the North-East region.
