NAF Intensifies Air Interdiction in North-East to Hunt Down Terrorists, Guarantee Safety of Residents

Linus Aleke in Abuja

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has intensified air interdiction operations in the North-East, targeting terrorist hideouts and logistics networks in a renewed effort to degrade their capabilities and guarantee the safety of residents.

This renewed integrated air and ground onslaught against fleeing terrorist fighters and commanders follows a recent foiled attack on a troops’ location in Benisheikh.

The Headquarters of Operation Hadin Kai, in a statement, confirmed that no fewer than four personnel paid the supreme price during the foiled terrorist attack on troops in Benisheikh, Borno State.

The incident is part of a broader pattern, as Boko Haram and Islamic State West African Province extremists have carried out multiple coordinated attacks on troops’ locations across North-East operational areas in recent weeks and months.

In one of such ill-fated attacks, at a military location in Mallam Fatori, Borno State, on May 19, 2026, troops of Operation Hadin Kai successfully repelled a coordinated drone-assisted assault on the base and killed over 80 Boko Haram/ISWAP extremists.

Announcing the outcome of the counter-offensive, the task force’s Media Information Officer, Lieutenant Colonel Sani Uba, said the troops have continued to give the fundamentalists a bloody nose.

Meanwhile, the Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, in a statement on Sunday, said the sustained aerial campaign is focused on disrupting terrorist movement, destroying critical assets, and providing close air support to ground troops engaged in clearance operations.

By increasing surveillance and precision strikes, he said, the NAF aims to limit the ability of insurgents to regroup or launch attacks, while reinforcing public confidence in ongoing military efforts to restore peace and stability across the region.

He said, “In a sustained demonstration of the Nigerian Air Force’s commitment to counter-terrorism and the protection of innocent lives, the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai in ongoing operations on 11 April 2026 successfully executed precision follow-up mop-up air strikes on identified terrorist locations within the Jilli axis of Borno State.

“The mission was conducted as part of a coordinated air-ground integration operation with the Nigerian Army, following an earlier successful engagement that effectively decimated terrorist positions in the area. Coming amid intensified efforts to track and neutralise terrorist elements responsible for recent attacks on security forces within the wider theatre, the follow-on strikes were aimed at fleeing remnants and regrouping cells seeking to exploit the difficult terrain.”

He added, “Acting on credible intelligence received through close coordination with relevant stakeholders and validated by the appropriate operational command, the operation further consolidated gains already achieved by friendly forces.

“This successful action highlights the growing effectiveness of intelligence-driven, joint force operations in denying terrorists freedom of movement and preventing attacks on both security positions and civilian communities. By sustaining pressure through immediate mop-up strikes after the initial coordinated assault, the Air Component has reinforced ongoing efforts to secure lives, protect property, and stabilise vulnerable areas across Borno State and the wider North-East theatre.”

The operation, Ejodame said reflects the Nigerian Air Force’s unwavering resolve to maintain persistent surveillance, precision interdiction, and rapid response actions in support of national counter-terrorism objectives, while reassuring citizens of the Armed Forces’ steadfast commitment to restoring lasting peace and security.