Nigeria’s renewed counterterrorism drive under the leadership of newly inaugurated Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, recorded major victories over the weekend as the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) launched coordinated, intelligence-driven operations that decimated several terrorist hideouts across Borno, Kwara, and Katsina states.
The operations, described as precision strikes, targeted Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters who had assembled near the Lake Chad region of Borno State for another planned assault.
According to NAF spokesperson, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the strikes destroyed insurgent hideouts, logistics hubs, and weapons depots in the Shuwaram and Mallam Fatori axis.
“The airstrikes eliminated several terrorists and crippled their mobility capabilities. Post-strike assessments confirmed multiple neutralisations and a significant degradation of ISWAP’s operational networks,” Ejodame said.
Coordinated Strikes in Kwara and Katsina
While the Lake Chad operations were ongoing, NAF aircraft under Operation FANSAN YAMMA carried out precision air interdiction missions over Garin Dandi and Chigogo in Kwara State, striking bandit camps with devastating accuracy.
In Katsina, the Air Force targeted Zango Hill in Kankara Local Government Area, a known stronghold of a terrorist kingpin and his fighters. Several insurgents were neutralised, and their logistics bases destroyed.
Ejodame described the operations as among the most decisive in the Northwest in recent times, adding that reconnaissance missions were simultaneously conducted across Zamfara, Kebbi, and Kaduna States to monitor and strike fleeing militants.
Terror Groups Clash: Over 200 ISWAP Fighters Killed
In a separate development, fierce clashes erupted between Boko Haram and rival ISWAP militants at Dogon Chiku, near Lake Chad, as both groups continued their bloody struggle for dominance.
Security sources confirmed that over 200 ISWAP fighters were killed in the confrontation, with Boko Haram reportedly losing four members.
“This could be the worst clash between the two groups since they began attacking each other,” said Saddiku, a former Boko Haram fighter now tracking jihadist activities.
Video footage from the aftermath showed bodies floating in bloodied canoes, while intelligence sources confirmed heavy losses and seizure of ISWAP’s weapons.
Tinubu, Governors Hail Renewed Security Push
Meanwhile, the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for overhauling the nation’s security architecture and prioritising coordinated intelligence across military formations.
Chairman of the Forum and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, spoke in Minna during a solidarity visit to Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umar Bago, noting that the renewed synergy between federal and state authorities is already yielding results.
In Abuja, Minister of Regional Development, Abubakar Momoh, also directed regional development commissions to collaborate closely with security agencies and state governments to tackle insecurity in their respective zones.
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