Coordinated precision strikes under Operations HADIN KAI and FANSAN YAMMA hit terror strongholds as Tinubu vows tougher national security measures….
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has eliminated several members of the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) and destroyed multiple bandit enclaves in a new wave of coordinated counterterrorism and counter-banditry operations across the country’s northern axis.
The air offensives, carried out on Saturday, November 9, 2025, targeted ISWAP hideouts in Mallam Fatori and Shuwaram, Borno State, as well as bandit camps in Garin Dandi and Chigogo, Kwara State, and Zango Hill in the Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State.
The operations form part of sustained efforts under Operation HADIN KAI in the northeast and Operation FANSAN YAMMA in the northwest, aimed at degrading insurgent and criminal networks.
Precision Strikes Hit ISWAP Strongholds
In a statement signed by Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, Director of Public Relations and Information at NAF, the air missions were guided by real-time Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) data.
“In Borno State, NAF air interdiction missions dealt a heavy blow to ISWAP terrorists entrenched in the Northern Tumbuns,” the statement said.
The strikes reportedly destroyed insurgent hideouts, weapons storage facilities, and logistics hubs in Shuwaram and Mallam Fatori, where ISWAP fighters were observed mobilising with motorcycles and boats along the Lake Chad Basin.
Post-strike assessments confirmed multiple neutralisations and the crippling of ISWAP’s mobility capabilities, marking a major disruption to the group’s operations in the area.
Air Power Cripples Bandit Operations in Kwara and Katsina
Simultaneously, NAF aircraft executed precision air interdiction missions over Garin Dandi and Chigogo in Kwara State, destroying bandit hideouts and forcing surviving fighters to flee.
In another coordinated operation, the Air Component of Operation FANSAN YAMMA struck Zango Hill in Kankara, Katsina State, where a terrorist kingpin and his men were reportedly holding out.
“Guided by actionable intelligence and ISR surveillance, multiple attack passes were executed, destroying key logistics hubs and neutralising several terrorists,” NAF said.
The aircrew further conducted armed reconnaissance missions across parts of Zamfara, Kebbi, and Kaduna States, including Kakihum, Dankolo, Kotonkoro, and Kuyello all known to serve as bandit transit corridors along the Birnin Gwari–Funtua axis.
When suspicious movement was detected near Wam Hill, terrorists on motorcycles attempting to escape were promptly engaged and neutralised, with no hostile return fire reported.
Renewed Tempo, Renewed Resolve
The NAF described the success of the strikes as a reflection of its renewed operational tempo under the directive of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, who recently ordered commanders to intensify precision attacks on terrorist targets.
“Each mission reaffirms our resolve to project smarter, intelligence-driven air power capable of delivering purposeful lethality against insurgents and criminals,” the statement noted.
Last week, Air Marshal Aneke convened a strategic meeting with Air Component Commanders from all operational theatres at NAF Headquarters, Abuja, where he urged them to “fly smarter and strike harder.”
“Every mission must reflect professionalism, purpose, and patriotism,” he told the senior officers.
National Context: Tinubu’s Pledge to Intensify Anti-Terror War
The intensified NAF operations come in the wake of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s renewed commitment to tackling terrorism and criminality nationwide.
Tinubu’s remarks followed US President Donald Trump’s controversial comments threatening to send American troops to Nigeria if the country failed to curb attacks on Christians by extremist groups.
“The task ahead is immense,” Tinubu said in response. “But we are resolved to move forward with unity and purpose, to defeat terrorism and build a prosperous, inclusive, and resilient Nigeria.”
The President’s directive aligns with NAF’s ongoing efforts to sustain pressure on insurgents and restore peace and stability across affected regions.
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