NAF Airstrikes Destroy Terrorist Hideouts in Borno’s Southern Tumbuns

Precision Strike on Known Terrorist Enclave

The Nigerian Air Force conducted a precision airstrike on terrorist hideouts in the Southern Tumbuns area of Borno State on Friday evening, destroying structures used by insurgents and further degrading their operational capacity along the Lake Chad axis. The strike was carried out at approximately 6:50 p.m. on April 24, targeting Ali Sheriffti — a known terrorist enclave within the Southern Tumbuns — following credible intelligence about active insurgent movements in the area.

Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, NAF’s Director of Public Relations and Information, confirmed the operation in a statement on Saturday. He said NAF air assets conducted a focused surveillance sweep that detected several insurgents navigating concealed routes before closing in on their location.

How the Strike Was Executed

“The targets were trailed to structures hidden under dense foliage, confirming deliberate attempts at concealment,” Ejodame said. Following positive identification, the air component engaged the location with precision-guided munitions, successfully destroying the identified structures. “The operation achieved the desired effect, with terrorist structures destroyed, further degrading their capability and freedom of movement in the area,” the statement added.

The Southern Tumbuns is a remote, swampy terrain along Nigeria’s northeastern border with Cameroon and Chad — long used by ISWAP and Boko Haram remnants as a base for regrouping and planning attacks. NAF’s strike follows a sustained campaign of intelligence-driven operations across multiple theatres, including earlier missions in the Sambisa Forest and the Yuwe axis.

Air Chief Vows No Safe Haven

Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, reaffirmed the force’s resolve to sustain the offensive. “The Nigerian Air Force will continue to pursue and dismantle terrorist networks with unwavering precision and relentless force, ensuring no enclave remains beyond our reach,” he stated, adding that air operations would continue with increased intensity.

The NAF statement underlines a broader strategy of denying insurgents fixed bases — a tactic that has gained traction as ground offensives alone have proven insufficient to permanently clear the Lake Chad Basin of militant activity.

Sources: PRNigeria, Channels Television, Punch, Nigerian Eye