The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has neutralised more than 40 terrorists during coordinated close air support and air interdiction missions carried out in Azir and Musarram areas of Borno State.

The operations were conducted on January 15 and 16, 2026, by the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI, following credible intelligence and in close collaboration with ground troops.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by the Director of Public Relations and Information of the NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame.

According to Ejodame, NAF aircraft responded in the early hours of January 16 to a distress call from troops who were engaging terrorists retreating from Azir. Aerial reconnaissance later revealed the fighters attempting to regroup under tree cover, prompting precise and successive airstrikes that neutralised several of them.

“Post-strike assessment confirmed no further threats, while feedback from ground troops, local authorities, and community sources indicated a significant reduction in terrorist activity and a return of relative calm,” Ejodame said.

He further revealed that on January 15, NAF air assets carried out a successful air interdiction operation in Musarram, located in the Tumbuns general area, after intelligence reports showed terrorists assembling on canoes to launch attacks along the Baga and Fish Dam axis.

“Upon arrival, the aircraft identified about 10 canoes and over 40 suspected terrorists, who were engaged in multiple passes, causing disarray among them,” he said.

“Some fleeing elements were tracked and neutralised, while others who regrouped at an assembly point were also engaged, effectively dismantling the terrorist concentration.”

Reacting to the development, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, reaffirmed the NAF’s commitment to providing timely and decisive air support to ground forces.

He noted that the operations highlighted the effectiveness of intelligence-driven air power and close air–ground coordination in denying terrorists freedom of movement.

Aneke assured Nigerians that sustained pressure would continue against terrorist groups as the Armed Forces intensify efforts to degrade their operational capabilities and stabilise affected areas.

Azir and Musarram, both located in Damboa Local Government Area of Borno State, remain flashpoints of insurgency linked to Boko Haram and its splinter faction, ISWAP.