The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has intensified its counter-terrorism and anti-banditry campaigns across the country, conducting precision airstrikes that neutralized several ISWAP fighters in Mallam Fatori and Shuwaram, Borno State.
According to Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, NAF’s Director of Public Relations and Information, the coordinated strikes, executed on November 9, 2025, marked a decisive phase under Operation Hadin Kai and Operation Fasan Yamma. The missions targeted terrorist and criminal networks in Nigeria’s northern regions.
Ejodame explained that the air interdictions, guided by Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) data, destroyed insurgent camps, logistics hubs, and weapon storage sites in the Lake Chad Basin, crippling ISWAP’s movement and operational capacity.
Similar operations were carried out in Garin Dandi and Chigogo in Kwara State, and Zango Hill in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State, where airstrikes demolished bandit enclaves and killed several fighters.
He added that armed reconnaissance missions extended to parts of Zamfara, Kebbi, and Kaduna States, where terrorists on motorcycles were sighted and neutralized near Wam Hill. The coordinated strikes, Ejodame said, underscore the Air Force’s renewed commitment to intelligence-driven operations.
Meanwhile, the FCT Police Command, in collaboration with the Department of State Services (DSS), local hunters, and vigilantes, has begun special patrols around churches and border communities connecting Kaduna and Niger States.
Police spokesperson SP Josephine Adeh said the exercise, directed by Commissioner of Police Miller Dantawaye, aims to secure worship centers and residents during the festive season. She urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious activities.
In Kano State, bandits kidnapped four nursing mothers in Yan Kwada village, Faruruwa community, Shanono Local Government Area. Community leader Yahaya Bagobiri revealed that the attackers, who arrived on motorcycles, abducted five women initially, but one managed to escape. The bandits reportedly abandoned the women’s infants and stole about 50 cows.
Bagobiri lamented that the assaults continue despite the presence of security operatives and called on President Bola Tinubu and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu to deploy more armed forces to protect the area.
In Nasarawa State, Governor Abdullahi Sule has ordered a manhunt for gunmen who attacked Sarkin Noma community in Keana Local Government Area, vowing to bring the perpetrators to justice. He condemned the violence as an attempt to destabilize the state and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to peace and security.
In Kebbi State, Governor Nasir Idris declared that no part of the state was under bandit control, noting that insurgents only stage attacks before retreating to neighboring Zamfara State. He praised the Nigerian Armed Forces and President Tinubu for their efforts in combating terrorism.
A deadly clash between Boko Haram (JAS) and ISWAP factions has also left over 100 fighters dead in Toumbun Gini, Abadam Local Government Area of Borno State, near the Niger Republic border. Security sources said ISWAP attempted to reclaim the island from the JAS faction but was ambushed, resulting in heavy casualties.
Analysts warned that surviving ISWAP members might retreat toward Kukawa, Monguno, and Marte, potentially endangering civilians and military personnel.
Meanwhile, the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF) has urged traditional rulers to invoke cultural and spiritual means in the fight against insecurity. Forum Chairman and Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma made the call during a condolence visit to Niger State Governor Mohammed Umar Bago, stressing the need for all sectors to support President Tinubu’s security initiatives.
