NAF Airstrikes Eliminate Terrorist Commanders in Lake Chad Stronghold as ISWAP Leaders Surrender

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), under Operation Hadin Kai, has neutralised scores of terrorists, including senior commanders, during precision airstrikes targeting insurgent hideouts in the North-East.

The operation focused on a terrorist enclave in Metele, located within the Northern Tumbuns area of the Lake Chad Basin, where insurgents were reportedly regrouping and planning further attacks.

Speaking on Thursday in Abuja, NAF spokesperson, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said the airstrikes were conducted in the early hours of Wednesday, June 10, 2026, following actionable intelligence gathered through Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions.

According to him, the ISR operations confirmed the presence of a senior terrorist commander, multiple hideouts, and heightened insurgent activities within the targeted location.

"Acting on the intelligence, NAF air assets engaged the identified targets with precision. Upon arrival, aircrew observed significant terrorist movement around concealed structures, confirming hostile presence," Ejodame stated.

He explained that after positive identification of the targets, the aircraft carried out coordinated strikes on the enclave.

Post-strike Battle Damage Assessment (BDA), he said, confirmed the destruction of the terrorist camp and the neutralisation of numerous insurgents, including key commanders.

In a related development, troops of Operation Hadin Kai recorded another breakthrough as two high-profile commanders of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), identified as Ismail Mohammed and Abu Umar, surrendered to military authorities in Borno State.

The Acting Media Information Officer of Operation Hadin Kai, Lt. Col. Haruna Sani, disclosed that the surrender took place on June 8, 2026, following sustained military offensives against insurgent positions across the theatre of operations.

Sani also revealed that another ISWAP member, Mohammed Khalifa, said to be a member of the group's Shura Council, was killed during joint military operations.

According to him, the surrendered commanders played critical roles within the terrorist organisation. While Ismail Mohammed was reportedly linked to the group's senior leadership structure, Abu Umar specialised in the production of explosives and vehicle-borne improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs).

He noted that the surrender of the commanders represents a major setback for ISWAP and underscores the effectiveness of ongoing military operations aimed at dismantling terrorist networks in the Lake Chad region.