In a significant escalation of counterinsurgency efforts, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) announced the elimination of 592 militants and the destruction of 372 key assets during months of intensified operations in Borno State, a region long plagued by Islamist insurgent groups. Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, Nigeria’s Chief of Air Staff, detailed the outcomes during a Tuesday meeting with Borno Governor Babagana Zulum in Maiduguri, underscoring progress in weakening terrorist networks.
The air campaigns, conducted under Operation Hadin Kai, involved 798 combat missions and over 1,500 hours of flight operations between October 2023 and May 2024. Airstrikes targeted insurgent bases and supply routes, obliterating 206 armed vehicles and 166 logistics hubs used by groups including Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Officials described these hubs as critical nodes for storing weapons, fuel, and communications equipment, with their destruction crippling the militants’ ability to coordinate attacks.
Abubakar credited the use of precision strikes and improved intelligence-gathering for the operational successes. “The elimination of these assets has severely disrupted the terrorists’ mobility and logistics chain,” he stated, adding that a newly deployed Mi-35 attack helicopter would enhance air-ground coordination for troops battling insurgents in the Lake Chad Basin and Sambisa Forest regions.
Governor Zulum praised the air force for its role in improving security, noting that reduced militant activity has paved the way for displaced communities to return home. Over 100,000 residents have resettled in areas like Bama and Konduga since 2023, though humanitarian groups caution that sporadic attacks and inadequate infrastructure continue to challenge recovery efforts.
The conflict in Northeast Nigeria, now in its 15th year, has killed an estimated 350,000 people and displaced millions, according to United Nations data. While military claims of battlefield gains have increased in recent years, analysts stress that sustainable peace hinges on addressing governance gaps and grassroots radicalization.
The latest figures mark one of the military’s highest publicly disclosed casualty tolls against militants in an eight-month period. Independent verification remains difficult due to security restrictions, but local sources report reduced insurgent movements in former strongholds. Military observers note the intensified air campaigns align with President Bola Tinubu’s pledge to prioritize national security, though challenges persist in securing rural areas and preventing cross-border arms smuggling.
As operations continue, the focus shifts to consolidating territorial gains and accelerating reconstruction—a task requiring collaboration between security forces, state authorities, and international partners. For now, officials frame the aerial offensive as a critical step toward stabilizing one of Africa’s most protracted conflicts.
