Air Chief Orders Sustained Strikes On Terror Camps
…Says Over 50 ISWAP Members Killed In New Marte Attack
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, on Wednesday, charged air component commanders to maintain dominance across security theatres and intensify aerial operations in the Northeast, Northwest, North Central, Southeast, and South-South regions.
The directive comes as the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) steps up combat operations against insurgents under various joint task force initiatives, particularly Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK).
In a statement issued by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, NAF described the intensified operations as a strategic shift towards persistent surveillance and coordinated precision strikes.
The statement quoted the CAS as saying, “We have not only denied them (insurgents) freedom of movement, we have shattered their illusion of nighttime safety.”
THE WHISTLER had reported that an attempt by Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters to infiltrate New Marte in Borno State during the early hours of May 24, 2025, was thwarted.
The incident, which resulted in the death of two soldiers, had Air Marshal Abubakar confirming that over 50 ISWAP members were killed during the failed infiltration.
According to him, insurgents deployed motorcycles and a Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED) in the assault, but NAF air assets, operating under real-time Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) guidance, intercepted and killed the attackers before they could breach the location.
He said, “The night offers no more cover for enemies of the state.
“Our platforms now fly with enhanced night vision capabilities and operate with precision, regardless of the hour.
“The Nigerian Air Force reports that follow-up aerial strikes eliminated more than 50 insurgents who attempted to regroup after the initial confrontation. These efforts, officials say, further degraded ISWAP’s capacity to mount coordinated attacks in the area.
“Drone footage and intercepted communications reportedly corroborated the scale of the insurgents’ losses.
“Intelligence also indicates rising fear among ISWAP fighters, with local sources describing a climate of panic and mass desertion. Sudden death from above is how residents have described the NAF’s intensified operations.
“Terror will find no sanctuary, day or night. Our eyes are everywhere, and our resolve is unshaken. Wherever they hide, we will find them. And when we do, we will strike with precision.”
Reaffirming NAF’s commitment to national security, Abubakar assured citizens of the force’s vigilance across Nigeria’s airspace.
“To every Nigerian, rest assured. Your Air Force is vigilant. We are watching, we are flying, and we are striking. From Kalabalge to Rann, from Damboa to New Marte, we own the skies. And as long as we do, terror will find no rest, day or night,” the CAS reiterated.
Air Chief Orders Sustained Strikes On Terror Camps is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
