NAF Airstrikes Destroy Terrorist Strongholds, Eliminate Scores in Sambisa, Tumbuns
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has intensified its aerial offensive against insurgents in Nigeria’s North-East, carrying out a series of precision strikes that destroyed key terrorist enclaves in Sambisa Forest and the Tumbuns area.
The operations, conducted under the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI, targeted what military sources described as critical infrastructure, logistics hubs and concentrations of fighters. According to the NAF, the sustained bombardment forms part of a broader strategy to degrade terrorist capabilities and prevent regrouping.
On April 30, 2026, NAF aircraft executed an air interdiction mission at Alafa in the Sambisa axis, striking identified insurgent positions. The airstrikes reportedly destroyed supply nodes and hideouts, with multiple fighters neutralised during the coordinated assault.
The offensive continued on May 1 with another major strike on Metele in the Tumbuns, a region characterised by difficult terrain and known insurgent hideouts. Intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions had earlier identified the location as a fortified stronghold, complete with storage facilities and defensive trench systems. NAF said its aircraft engaged the target with “precise and overwhelming firepower,” resulting in significant damage to the enclave and casualties among insurgents.
Military authorities said the back-to-back operations underscore a deliberate campaign of sustained pressure aimed at denying armed groups the ability to reorganise or launch attacks.
The Chief of the Air Staff, Sunday Kelvin Aneke, commended personnel for their operational effectiveness, reiterating the Air Force’s commitment to maintaining dominance in the theatre. He said air operations would continue at increased intensity until terrorist networks are fully dismantled and security threats neutralised.
The latest strikes are part of ongoing counterinsurgency efforts in the North-East, where Nigerian forces have continued to target remnants of extremist groups operating across remote and hard-to-reach areas.
By TimesNG