By Augustine Ehikioya
Clamping down on terrorist operations in the Lake Chad region, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), operating under Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK), has conducted precision Air Interdiction (AI) that neutralised several high-value Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) commanders and fighters.
The mission, carried out on 27 July 2025, according to a statement by Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, Director of Public Relations and Information, Headquarters Nigerian Air Force, and made available to Security Watch Africa (SWA), targeted Arina Woje, a notorious ISWAP enclave in the Southern Tumbuns of Borno State, known as a sanctuary for insurgent leaders.
It said that the strike followed a series of credible Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) sorties that confirmed the return of terrorist elements to the area after recent inter-factional clashes.
The statement said “ISR data revealed significant terrorist activity, including the movement of foot soldiers, reactivation of structures, and the concealment of possible command centres and logistics depots beneath dense foliage.
“Acting on credible intelligence, NAF air assets were dispatched to under a focused strike mission.
“Aircrew on arrival, acquired and prosecuted pre-selected targets using precision-guided munitions, achieving devastating effects.”
Preliminary battle damage assessment, it said, revealed the destruction of several structures housing key ISWAP leaders, fighters, and logistics storage facilities, effectively disrupting the group’s operational planning and resupply efforts in the region.
“This operation reflects the NAF’s continued resolve to dislodge terrorist elements, deny them freedom of movement, and support ground forces in restoring peace and stability across Nigeria.
“It also reinforces the value of intelligence-driven air power missions in modern counter-terrorism operations,” it stated.
