The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says it has killed nine fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), including a senior commander, in a precision air strike in the Sambisa Forest area of Borno State.
A statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by the Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said the operation was carried out on Saturday following credible intelligence on terrorist movement in the area.
Ejodame said a Remotely Piloted Aircraft was deployed to conduct Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance on the location, and tracked a group of terrorists moving towards a suspected hideout. Following positive identification of the target, NAF aircraft carried out a precision engagement on the site.
A battle damage assessment showed the compound was heavily hit, with nine terrorists confirmed killed and several others wounded. Among those neutralised was Abu Khalid Al Muhajir, described as a prominent ISWAP commander responsible for providing security escorts to senior members of the group.
Ejodame said his elimination was a major setback for ISWAP, citing his knowledge of routes, terrain and tactical movements linking terrorist enclaves within Sambisa Forest and surrounding areas. Intelligence also suggested some of the fighters affected were linked to the recent ambush of troops along the Bita–Yamtage axis in Gwoza Local Government Area.
He said the operation reflected the growing effectiveness of the air force’s intelligence-driven campaign, combining persistent surveillance with precision strikes to neutralise terrorists before they regroup, and reaffirmed NAF’s commitment to sustaining such operations in coordination with ground troops in the North East.
