Ken Okeke
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has ramped up round-the-clock air operations across multiple theatres of internal security, delivering crippling blows to terrorists, insurgents, and criminal networks.
This renewed operational intensity follows strategic recalibrations and tighter synergy between air and ground components, particularly in Operation HADIN KAI (OPHK) and other joint task force operations nationwide.
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Bala Abubakar, has directed Air Component Commanders to sustain continuous air dominance across the Northeast, Northwest, North Central, Southeast, and South South regions. The CAS declared:
“Terror will find no sanctuary, day or night. Our eyes are everywhere, and our resolve is unshaken. Wherever they hide, we will find them. And when we do, we will strike with precision.”
Air Marshal Abubakar cited the failed attack on New Marte in the early hours of 24 May 2025 as a vivid example of NAF’s enhanced capabilities. In that operation, a group of ISWAP fighters attempted to breach the location using motorcycles and a Vehicle-Borne Improvised Explosive Device (VBIED). They were decisively intercepted and neutralised by NAF aircraft guided by real-time Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) feeds.
“The night offers no more cover for enemies of the state,” he affirmed. “Our platforms now fly with enhanced night vision capabilities and operate with precision, regardless of the hour. He added that drone footage and intercepted communications revealed the scale of devastation. “In subsequent follow-up strikes, over 50 insurgents were neutralised as they attempted to regroup, crushing their offensive capability and morale”, he added.
Reports have it that fear is now spreading among ISWAP foot soldiers, with many abandoning their positions due to what locals describe as “sudden death from above.” “We have not only denied them freedom of movement, we have shattered their illusion of nighttime safety,” he said.
Reiterating the NAF’s unwavering dedication to protecting Nigerian lives and sovereignty, Air Marshal Abubakar assured: “To every Nigerian, rest assured. Your Air Force is vigilant. We are watching, we are flying, and we are striking. From Kalabalge to Rann, from Damboa to New Marte, we own the skies. And as long as we do, terror will find no rest, day or night.”