NAF Airstrikes Kill 40 Terrorists Planning Attacks on civilians in Borno
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has killed no fewer than 40 terrorists in coordinated airstrikes carried out in Azir and Musarram areas of Borno State, foiling planned attacks on civilian communities.
The precision strikes, conducted on January 15 and 16, were executed by NAF aircraft operating under the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai, following credible intelligence on terrorist movements and imminent threats to nearby населations.
According to the NAF, the first operation took place in the early hours of January 16 at Azir, where troops on the ground were in contact with fleeing terrorists. Air assets responding to a real-time situation report arrived overhead and observed hostile elements attempting to regroup and take cover under trees. The targets were engaged in successive passes, resulting in the neutralisation of several terrorists. A post-strike assessment confirmed that no residual threats remained in the area.
A day earlier, on January 15, NAF aircraft carried out a successful air interdiction mission at Musarram in the Tumbuns general area, after intelligence revealed that terrorists were assembling on canoes to launch coordinated attacks on the Baga and Fish Dam axis. The aircrew sighted about 10 canoes conveying over 40 suspected terrorists at the location.
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The terrorists were engaged in three successive passes, throwing them into disarray. Some fleeing elements were trailed to nearby tree cover and neutralised, while others who regrouped at an assembly area were also engaged and eliminated using available mission stores.
Ground troops and local community sources later confirmed that the operation effectively dismantled the terrorist concentration and disrupted the planned attacks on civilians.
Reacting to the operations, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, said the airstrikes underscored the NAF’s readiness to respond decisively whenever troops were in contact and civilians were under threat.
“These operations highlight the Nigerian Air Force’s ability to act swiftly on actionable intelligence and work seamlessly with ground forces to deny terrorists freedom of action,” Aneke said.
He reassured Nigerians of the NAF’s continued commitment to protecting both troops and civilians, stressing that sustained pressure would be maintained on terrorist groups until lasting peace and security were restored in affected areas.
The latest operations further demonstrate the Armed Forces of Nigeria’s reliance on integrated air–ground cooperation to degrade terrorist capabilities and stabilise communities across the North-East.
By PRNigeria
