Between March 17 and 19, 2025, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) executed a series of precision airstrikes targeting fortified terrorist enclaves in Borno and Katsina states. These operations resulted in the elimination of numerous insurgents and the destruction of critical terrorist infrastructure.
In Borno State, the NAF focused on insurgent hideouts in Chikide and Degbewa within the Mandara Mountains. Acting on credible intelligence, including Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) data, NAF aircraft launched nocturnal airstrikes on March 16, 2025, targeting a high-level meeting of terrorists led by the notorious commander Ali Ngulde. The precision strikes resulted in significant casualties among the insurgents and disrupted their operational capabilities.
Simultaneously, in Katsina State, the NAF targeted terrorist camps along the Funtua-Gusau road, specifically in the Zango Hill area of Kankara Local Government Area. The airstrikes neutralized over 20 terrorists, including key figures such as Gero (Alhaji) and Alhaji Riga, who were responsible for numerous ambushes along the Funtua-Gusau road, particularly between the Yankara and Sheme villages. The destruction of these camps marks a significant breakthrough in the ongoing military campaign to restore peace in the North-West region.
These coordinated air operations underscore the NAF's commitment to leveraging air power to neutralize terrorist networks and restore lasting peace to the affected regions. The successful execution of these precision strikes, including nocturnal operations, demonstrates the NAF's growing dominance in both day and night air warfare capabilities, signaling to insurgents that they can no longer find refuge under the cover of darkness.