The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says it has killed several suspected terrorists and destroyed a key hideout linked to a notorious bandit leader in northwestern Nigeria, in what authorities describe as a targeted strike aimed at disrupting armed groups operating in the region.
Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, NAF’s spokesperson, said in a statement Sunday that the operation was carried out on May 1 in the Dan-Aji Forest area of Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State, following “credible intelligence” on renewed militant activity.
According to the Air Force, the location served as a logistics base and transit hub for fighters loyal to a kingpin identified as Abasu Aiki, whose network has been linked to repeated attacks on communities and security personnel across parts of Katsina, including Faskari, Kankara, and Funtua.
NAF said its air assets tracked armed fighters on motorcycles within the enclave before launching what it described as a coordinated precision strike on both the militants and their support infrastructure.
A post-strike assessment indicated that several fighters were killed.
At the same time, the hideout and associated structures were destroyed, triggering secondary explosions and fires, suggesting the presence of stored supplies or ammunition, the statement said.
Military authorities say the operation is expected to disrupt movement and resupply routes for armed groups in the area, part of a broader campaign to deny them safe havens in Nigeria’s North-West, where banditry and insurgent-style attacks have persisted despite ongoing security operations.
The latest strike underscores the continued reliance on air power in Nigeria’s counterinsurgency strategy, particularly in forested areas such as Dan-Aji, which security analysts say have long served as operational bases for armed groups.
