The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), operating under the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai, says it has destroyed a major terrorist hideout and neutralised scores of insurgents during a precision airstrike in Borno State.
The operation, carried out over the weekend, targeted a fortified terrorist enclave in Abirma, located in the southern axis of the Lake Chad Basin. According to the military, the airstrike destroyed key logistics facilities and significantly disrupted the operational capacity of the insurgents.
In a statement, the Director of Public Relations and Information for the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said the mission was launched following days of intelligence gathering, surveillance and reconnaissance that identified the movement and concentration of terrorists and logistics assets within the area.
He explained that aerial surveillance confirmed the presence of insurgents operating under dense vegetation, prompting the deployment of combat aircraft to carry out coordinated precision strikes on the identified targets.
According to the Air Force, post-strike Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) showed that several concealed structures, weapons storage facilities and vehicles were destroyed during the operation.
The military added that secondary explosions observed after the strikes indicated that hidden ammunition dumps and fuel storage facilities were hit, causing extensive damage to the terrorist camp.
The Air Force said the operation forms part of ongoing efforts to deny terrorist groups freedom of movement and provide air support to ground troops conducting clearance operations across the North-East.
Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, commended the pilots, engineers and support personnel involved in the mission, describing the operation as another demonstration of the Nigerian Air Force’s commitment to combating terrorism.
Ground troops have since advanced into the area to secure the location and conduct follow-up clearance operations, the military said.
The latest offensive is part of Operation Hadin Kai’s sustained campaign against terrorist groups operating in the Lake Chad Basin and other parts of the North-East.
