Nigeria’s air force says it has killed 592 armed militia members in Borno State over the past eight months, marking what officials describe as unprecedented operational gains in the country’s fight against insurgency.
Chief of Air Staff Hasan Abubakar, speaking during a visit to Borno Governor Babagana Zulum on Tuesday, said the intensified air campaign had also destroyed more than 200 technical vehicles and 166 logistics hubs in the northeast.
The offensive targets Boko Haram and its offshoot, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), which have waged a violent insurgency that has displaced millions and killed thousands.
“This year, our air war is faster, sharper, and more surgical,” Abubakar said. “We are taking out high-value targets, crippling logistics networks, and dismantling cells that threaten peace in the northeast.”
Operations have included coordinated day-and-night strikes in key insurgent strongholds such as Gonori, Rann, Dikwa, Damboa, Azir, and Mallam Fatori. The air force deployed A-29 Super Tucano aircraft for precision and night missions, Mi-171 helicopters for evacuation and logistics, enhanced surveillance platforms, and recently acquired Mi-35 gunships for close air support.
Under Operation Hadin Kai, the military’s counterinsurgency mission in the northeast, air force aircraft have flown 798 combat sorties and logged more than 1,500 operational hours since the start of the year.
Despite the claims of success, analysts caution that the insurgency remains far from defeated. “The reality on the ground shows that the military’s claim of success pales in comparison to gains and successful attacks carried out by Boko Haram factions since ISWAP renewed its offensive in late 2024,” said Confidence MacHarry, Senior Analyst at SBM Intelligence in Lagos.
According to Nigeria Watch, militia gangs in Borno have killed at least 2,000 people since 2023.
The air force’s stepped-up operations also extend beyond the northeast, this week, the military said it killed scores of armed gang members in Zamfara State during a joint air and ground operation against more than 400 fighters preparing to attack a village.
Written By Rodney Mbua
