The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has killed nine Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters, including a notorious top commander, in an airstrike inside the Sambisa Forest area of Borno State.
The Air Force said the top commander, identified as Abu Khalid Al Muhajir, was instrumental in providing safe passage and special security escorts for senior leadership of the terrorist group.
The successful military operation was executed in the forest enclave based on actionable intelligence on the movements and gatherings of suspected terrorists within the enclave on Saturday, August 8, 2026.
This was confirmed in a statement issued Sunday by the Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame.
Explaining how the operation was carried out, Air Commodore Ejodame said a drone, officially known as a Remotely Piloted Aircraft was deployed into the sky to conduct sustained aerial surveillance, monitoring and tracking over the area.
Air force operators closely tracked the armed men as they moved to a hidden location before executing an immediate, targeted strike, he said.
Read Also: Growing Incidents of Jungle Justice Trigger Alarm Across Nigeria
The successful operation, which was conducted on Saturday, August 8, 2026, was based on credible intelligence on the activities and movement of suspected terrorists in the Sambisa Forest area. Based on this intelligence, the NAF launched a Remotely Piloted Aircraft to conduct persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, which enabled the identification and tracking of a group of terrorists as they moved towards a suspected hideout,” Ejodame said.
“After positive identification and confirmation of the target, NAF aircraft engaged the location with precision,” he said. Later battle damage assessment revealed major impact on the targeted compound with several terrorists neutralized.”
The NAF spokesperson added that intelligence sources confirmed that the heavy bomb explosion killed nine ISWAP fighters on the spot with many others sustaining varying degrees of injury.
The Air Force said the killing of Abu Khalid Al Muhajir was a huge blow to the internal network and movement of the terrorist organization.
Al Muhajir was a trusted strategist with vast knowledge of secret routes in the forest, difficult terrain and tactical paths linking major terrorist camps in the Sambisa Forest and surrounding communities, military reports said.
The statement also disclosed that some of the terrorists who were neutralized during the strike were linked to a recent deadly ambush against Nigerian troops along the Bita-Yamtage axis in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
The military said the destruction of the hideout will greatly impair ISWAP’s capability to protect its top leaders, move high value personnel and coordinate attacks across the Northeast region.
The Air Force reaffirmed its commitment to restoring peace in the region, stating that it will continue to employ intelligence-backed air strikes in tandem with ground troops to weaken terrorist networks, block their movements and protect local communities across the region.