Nigerian Airforce Kills 35 Jihadists in Northeast Airstrikes

Nigeria’s Airforce on Sunday announced it had killed 35 jihadists in a series of airstrikes near the country’s northeastern border with Cameroon, in a renewed effort to thwart attacks on ground troops.

The strikes targeted four locations in the Kumshe area of Borno State after intelligence revealed that Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters were massing to launch assaults on military positions.

NAF spokesperson Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame said the operation had “intensified efforts to dominate the battlefield and deny terrorists freedom of action,” adding that communication with threatened ground troops was restored following the strikes.

The latest offensive marks a continuation of sustained military pressure on insurgents in the northeast. Last week, the National Security Adviser (NSA) announced the capture of two terror leaders. Weeks ago, troops of the North East Joint Task Force killed 17 Boko Haram terrorists in clearance operations across Borno and Adamawa states, recovering a cache of arms and logistics supplies, according to Captain Reuben Kovangiya, acting Army spokesperson for Theatre Command.

The troops neutralised fighters in areas including Bula Daburu, Alau Dam, Bitta, Kawuri, Algambari, Ajiri, and Bulabulin, and dismantled several IEDs planted by the insurgents. Over 987 internally displaced persons were also returned to their homes in Biu LGA during the operations.

Similarly, soldiers operating under Operation Hadin Kai recently apprehended a suspected Nigerien terrorist attempting to infiltrate a security perimeter in Yobe State, while neutralising dozens of others in separate engagements across Yobe, Borno, Sokoto, Kebbi, and Ondo states.

In Northwestern Katsina, the military reported freeing 76 people, including women and children, from criminal gangs locally known as “bandits.” The rescue followed an airstrike on Pauwa Hill during a manhunt for a notorious gang leader, Babaro, linked to a recent mosque attack in Unguwan Mantau that killed at least 50 worshippers and left 60 abducted.

The Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security, Nasir Mua’zu, confirmed that one child hostage died during the rescue.

The latest military success comes amid mounting criticism over Nigeria’s security crisis. On Saturday, a group of former ministers, business leaders, and civil society activists described the situation as “war-time levels of slaughter” despite the country being officially at peace.

They cited a May report by Amnesty International that claimed at least 10,217 people have been killed since President Bola Tinubu took office two years ago. The group called for the creation of a Presidential Task Force with sweeping powers to end the conflicts.

Earlier this month, the US State Department approved the sale of weapons, including bombs and rockets to the tune of  $346 million to Nigeria, aimed at bolstering counter-insurgency efforts.

Despite military gains, challenges remain. Both Boko Haram and ISWAP continue to launch deadly raids near Nigeria’s borders with Cameroon and Niger, often using modified commercial drones to strike army bases and disrupt reinforcements, according to the Institute for Security Studies.

The United Nations estimates that more than 40,000 people have died and over two million displaced since the insurgency began in 2009.