NAF Eliminates Terrorists, Destroys Boats in Precision Air Strikes in Lake Chad Region
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), operating under the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), has recorded a major operational success with coordinated night-time precision air strikes that destroyed terrorist watercraft, hit key hideouts and neutralised several fighters in the riverine areas of Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.
Security sources disclosed that the operations followed weeks of sustained intelligence gathering, surveillance and reconnaissance which confirmed heightened terrorist movement and logistics activities around the Malimbe–Masaram Island axis and the Northern Tumbuns of the Lake Chad region.
According to the sources, credible human intelligence and persistent aerial surveillance tracked the movement of Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS) elements transiting through Masaram Island toward Malimbe, as well as the Toumbun Beriberi area of Kukawa LGA.
The strikes were carried out under the cover of darkness on January 18, with the deployment of precision-guided munitions to ensure accuracy and minimise collateral damage.
“We executed swift and successive interdictions on identified targets. Several JAS fighters were neutralised, while their water vessels used for mobility and logistics across the Tumbuns and Lake Chad waterways were completely destroyed,” a source said.
The source added that remaining terrorists in Malimbe and Toumbun Beriberi abandoned their positions and fled the area immediately after the strikes.
Read Also:
A post-strike battle damage assessment revealed that the fleeing fighters withdrew toward the Abadam axis in apparent disarray, with indications of growing suspicion within their ranks that their movements had been compromised by informants.
“The mission was adjudged highly successful. However, due to the terrorists’ paranoia that civilians are cooperating with government forces, sustained air and ground monitoring of the area is ongoing to deter any form of reprisal,” the source noted.
In a related development, the NAF also conducted another major air interdiction mission on January 20 at a newly identified terrorist enclave, codenamed “Rackstar,” in the Northern Tumbuns.
At about 1:00 p.m., the operation identified the location as a suspected safe haven for Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) elements, including some senior commanders. The area was also believed to be used as an improvised explosive device (IED) assembly point and a weapons servicing workshop.
Further intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance carried out on January 18 revealed dense, waterlogged terrain typical of the Tumbuns. However, extended scans of the fringes uncovered active terrorist structures approximately 1.9 kilometres southwest of the initial coordinates.
“We observed terrorists gathering in two separate locations. A solar panel and a black flag were also sighted within the enclave, clearly indicating occupation and operational intent,” the source said.
Selected targets were subsequently engaged with onboard munitions, degrading the terrorists’ operational capacity and disrupting their command and logistics infrastructure.
The NAF said the sustained air operations form part of the broader efforts of Operation Hadin Kai to deny terrorist groups freedom of movement, safe havens and access to resources across the Lake Chad Basin.
By PRNigeria
