Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has carried out a major aerial operation in the Sambisa Forest, eliminating several top commanders of Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) during a carefully planned precision strike in Borno State.
Gatekeepers News reports that security sources said the operation was executed by the air component of Operation Hadin Kai in the early hours of Friday after intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions confirmed the presence of high-ranking insurgent leaders and critical logistics facilities in the Yuwe axis of the forest.
The air strike reportedly commenced at about 6:08am, with fighter jets deploying precision-guided munitions to destroy identified targets.
Among those killed were senior ISWAP commanders identified as Saddam and Saleh Garin Kago, alongside Hussaini Ubaida and Ba Alayi Benbem, all believed to be key figures coordinating attacks, recruitment, and arms movement across parts of Borno and neighbouring states. Their hideouts, command centres, and weapons storage sites were destroyed during the operation.
Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication monitoring security activities in the Lake Chad region, reported that the strike significantly weakened ISWAP’s operational strength in the Sambisa corridor, disrupting both leadership coordination and supply chains. Post-strike assessments confirmed heavy damage to terrorist infrastructure, with ongoing verification of additional casualties.
Military authorities said the operation followed weeks of intelligence gathering, tracking movement patterns, and aerial surveillance, aimed at dismantling insurgent networks responsible for recent attacks on civilians and security personnel in the North-East.
The theatre command of Operation Hadin Kai reaffirmed its resolve to sustain aggressive, intelligence-led offensives against terrorist elements, stressing that air and ground forces will continue coordinated operations to eliminate insurgent leaders, destroy their bases, and restore lasting peace to affected communities.
