The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has neutralised nine Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters, including a senior commander, in a precision airstrike on a hideout in Sambisa Forest, Borno State.
The operation, conducted on Saturday, followed actionable intelligence on terrorist movements toward the location. Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
He said a Remotely Piloted Aircraft was deployed for sustained Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance operations, enabling the military to track and positively identify the target before executing the strike.
“Subsequent battle damage assessment confirmed significant effects on the compound, with several terrorists neutralised,” Ejodame stated. Further intelligence confirmed that nine ISWAP fighters were killed and several others wounded.
Among those reportedly eliminated was Abu Khalid Al Muhajir, a prominent ISWAP commander responsible for providing special security escorts for senior members of the terrorist group. His knowledge of routes, terrain, and tactical movements across Sambisa Forest and surrounding areas rendered his death a major operational setback for the group.
Some of those hit in the operation are also suspected to have participated in the recent ambush of Nigerian troops along the Bita–Yamtage axis in Gwoza Local Government Area.
The NAF described the operation as a demonstration of the effectiveness of combining persistent surveillance with precision strikes to disrupt terrorist activities. It reaffirmed its commitment to intelligence-led air operations in collaboration with ground forces, aimed at weakening terrorist networks, restricting their freedom of movement, and enhancing security across the North-East.