By ifeoma Onyekachi

The Nigerian Air Force has carried out a major air operation against terrorist elements in the Lake Chad region, destroying a key insurgent hideout in Borno State and killing several fighters.

The operation, conducted under Operation HADIN KAI, targeted a terrorist enclave in Kangarwa within the Northern Tumbuns axis, a known insurgent stronghold.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, the Director of Public Relations and Information for the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said the strike was launched after intelligence reports and aerial surveillance confirmed significant terrorist activity in the area.

According to him, the location had been under close watch through Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance missions, which monitored movements and activities within the settlement over time before the attack was approved.

He explained that once the presence of insurgents was verified, air force fighter aircraft carried out precision strikes on the identified targets, hitting structures and hidden facilities used by the terrorists for operations and logistics.

The air bombardment destroyed several key facilities, including supply storage points and operational shelters used by the insurgents. Many fighters were reportedly killed during the attack, weakening the group’s operational strength and disrupting their movement within the area.

Ejodame noted that the successful airstrike would support ground troops by creating safer conditions for them to move into the area, secure the territory, and conduct clearance operations.

He added that the mission demonstrated improved coordination between air and ground forces in the ongoing counter-insurgency operations in the North-East.

The destroyed enclave was believed to be a major base for ISWAP fighters, and its destruction is considered a significant setback for the group, as key command and support structures were reportedly dismantled.

Meanwhile, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, reiterated the Air Force’s commitment to continuing intelligence-based air operations against terrorist hideouts across the region. He said the Air Force would maintain close collaboration with ground troops to restrict terrorist activities and eliminate remaining insurgent camps.

He stressed that sustained air operations remain a critical part of efforts to restore peace and security in the North-East.