NAF says it raided bandits’ camp, killed over 35 terrorists near Nigeria – Cameroon border

•Dozens ‘rescued’ in Katsina

By Kingsley Omonobi & Ogalah Ibrahim

In a series of coordinated air operations, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says it dealt a significant blow to terrorist and bandit elements across the country, killing over 35 terrorists near the Nigeria–Cameroon border and rescuing 76 abductees, including children, in Katsina State.

According to the Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the air strikes were part of intensified efforts under Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) to dominate the battlespace and deny terrorists freedom of action in the North East.

According to him, the precision strikes took place in the early hours of yesterday, targeting terrorists who had gathered near the border to launch attacks on ground troops at Kumshe.

“Acting on multiple intelligence from several sources, the Air Component executed precision strikes in successive passes, engaging the terrorists and neutralising more than 35 fighters at four identified assembly areas,” Ejodame stated.

He added that ground forces later confirmed the area had been stabilised following the operation, and reiterated NAF’s commitment to providing close air support and disrupting terrorist logistics and movement corridors.

In a separate but equally significant operation, the NAF, in collaboration with other security agencies, disclosed that it carried out a targeted air strike on a notorious bandit enclave in Pauwa Hill, Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State. It stated that the raid, conducted Friday evening, led to the rescue of 76 abductees, many of them young children, who had been taken during a recent attack on Gidan Mantau in Malumfashi.

The Katsina State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. Nasir Mu’azu, confirmed that all those kidnapped during the Gidan Mantau incident were safely rescued. However, he noted with sadness that one child tragically died during the ordeal.

According to Mu’azu, the targeted camp belonged to a notorious bandit leader known as Babaro, who is believed to have orchestrated several recent attacks in the area, and hailed the precision of the strike and the professionalism of the NAF and collaborating agencies.

“This operation is part of a broader strategy to dismantle criminal hideouts and restore lasting peace to Katsina,” the commissiner said, adding that the state government will continue supporting security forces with logistics and intelligence.

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