Follow Us on Google
From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has killed nine Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters, including a key commander, in a precision air strike on a terrorist hideout in the Sambisa Forest area of Borno State.
The operation, conducted on Saturday, August 8, 2026, followed credible intelligence on the movement and activities of suspected terrorists operating in the area.
Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja, saying the NAF deployed a Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) for persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) after receiving the intelligence.
According to him, the aircraft tracked a group of terrorists as they moved towards a suspected hideout before a precision strike was conducted following positive identification and confirmation of the target.
Ejodame said battle damage assessment indicated a significant impact on the compound, with several terrorists neutralised in the operation. He said subsequent intelligence confirmed that nine ISWAP fighters were killed, while several others sustained injuries.
Other News
Among those killed, according to the NAF, was Abu Khalid Al Muhajir, described as a prominent ISWAP commander reportedly responsible for providing security escorts for the movement of senior members of the terrorist group.
The NAF said his elimination constituted a significant operational setback for ISWAP, given his reported knowledge of routes, terrain and tactical movements connecting major terrorist enclaves in the Sambisa Forest and surrounding areas.
Intelligence gathered after the operation also indicated that some of the terrorists affected by the strike were linked to elements suspected to have participated in the recent ambush of Nigerian troops along the Bita-Yamtage axis in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
The latest operation, the NAF said, demonstrated the growing effectiveness of its intelligence-driven air operations, particularly the integration of persistent surveillance with precision strike capabilities to detect and neutralise terrorist elements before they can regroup or threaten troops and vulnerable communities.
Beyond the casualties, the Air Force said the strike was expected to disrupt ISWAP’s leadership protection arrangements, movement of high-value personnel and coordination of activities across its various enclaves.
Ejodame said the NAF would continue to sustain intelligence-led and precision air operations in coordination with surface forces to degrade terrorist capabilities, restrict their freedom of movement and create a safer environment for communities affected by insurgency in the North-East.
