By Tunji Braimoh, Abuja

The Nigerian Air Force has announced that a recent airstrike in the Sambisa Forest area of Borno State killed nine fighters of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), including a senior commander said to be responsible for the movement and protection of top leaders within the terrorist group.

The operation, conducted on Saturday, August 8, 2026, followed credible intelligence reports on the activities and movements of suspected terrorists in the forest, according to the Air Force.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Director of Public Relations and Information at NAF Headquarters, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said the military deployed a Remotely Piloted Aircraft to carry out sustained Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance operations in the area.

He explained that the surveillance mission enabled the identification and tracking of a group of terrorists as they moved towards a suspected hideout within the forest. Following confirmation of the target, the aircraft executed a precision strike on the location.

“The successful operation followed credible intelligence on the activities and movement of suspected terrorists within the Sambisa Forest area. Acting on the intelligence, the NAF deployed a Remotely Piloted Aircraft to conduct persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, leading to the identification and tracking of the terrorists,” Ejodame stated.

According to him, a post-strike battle damage assessment revealed that the targeted compound suffered significant destruction, with several terrorists neutralised during the operation.

Further intelligence gathered after the strike confirmed that nine ISWAP fighters were killed, while several others sustained varying degrees of injuries.

Among those reportedly eliminated was Abu Khalid Al Muhajir, described by the Air Force as a key ISWAP commander who coordinated special security escorts for senior members of the terrorist organisation and played a strategic role in facilitating their movement across operational zones.

The Air Force noted that Al Muhajir possessed extensive knowledge of routes, terrain and tactical corridors connecting major terrorist enclaves within the Sambisa Forest and neighbouring areas, making his death a major blow to the insurgent group’s operations.

Intelligence reports also suggested that some of the terrorists affected by the strike were linked to elements believed to have participated in the recent ambush of Nigerian troops along the Bita–Yamtage axis in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.

The NAF said the operation underscores the growing effectiveness of intelligence-driven air campaigns, particularly the combination of persistent surveillance, target acquisition and precision-strike capabilities in disrupting terrorist activities across the North-East.