The Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, disclosed that the figures represent only air interdiction outcomes and exclude hundreds of additional missions involving intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, close air support for ground troops and armed reconnaissance operations.
He noted that the interdiction missions alone accounted for about 800 flight hours, reflecting the sustained operational tempo and reach of the Service.
Ejodame explained that beyond the immediate elimination of terrorist fighters, the air campaign significantly disrupted supply routes, restricted mobility and weakened command structures linking armed groups across different regions. These effects, he said, denied terrorists freedom of movement and safe havens, while enabling ground forces to advance, reclaim territory and stabilise previously threatened communities.
He added that the cumulative impact of the operations led to a measurable reduction in the operational capacity and morale of terrorist and bandit groups, contributing to improved security in several affected areas.
In the Niger Delta, the Air Force also recorded major successes in maritime and energy security operations. Precision strikes destroyed hundreds of illegal refining reservoirs, 126 storage tanks and multiple boats used by oil thieves and criminal syndicates. The operations, Ejodame said, degraded the financial lifelines of criminal networks, supported improved oil production and strengthened national economic resilience.
Commenting on the achievements, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, attributed the results to intelligence-driven targeting, improved aircraft availability, enhanced crew proficiency and effective coordination with other security agencies. He also credited sustained government support, including investments in modern platforms, personnel welfare, training and infrastructure, for the Service’s enhanced readiness.
Aneke reaffirmed the Air Force’s resolve to sustain pressure on all threats to national security, assuring that kinetic air operations would be intensified in 2026 in strict compliance with the rules of engagement and international humanitarian law.
He warned criminal and terrorist elements that no part of Nigeria would serve as a safe haven, while urging those involved in violence to abandon their actions and embrace peace.
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