NAF Intensifies Aerial Campaign Against Terrorists
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has escalated its offensive against criminal elements, delivering a significant blow to bandits in Zamfara State. In a precise air interdiction mission carried out on November 14, 2025, the Air Component of the Joint Task Force, Operation Fansan Yamma (OPFY), successfully targeted and destroyed a major bandit camp in the Sauri area of Tsafe Local Government.
Precision Strikes on Sauri Hideout
According to a statement released on Saturday by NAF spokesman, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the operation was initiated following extensive intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. These efforts revealed that the high-ground location was not just a defensive position for the terrorists but also served as a crucial logistics hub, where rustled livestock was being concealed.
Acting on this verified intelligence, NAF aircraft executed multiple coordinated strike passes on the identified targets. The assault achieved direct hits, destroying the hub and a key defensive position. The attack was so effective that it dislodged surviving terrorists who attempted to flee into the surrounding vegetation, where they were subsequently tracked and effectively engaged by the force.
Wider Operations Across Multiple States
This latest success in Zamfara is part of a broader wave of NAF operations across troubled regions. Just four days prior, the air force conducted coordinated air interdiction missions in Borno, Katsina, and Kwara states.
- In Borno State, heavy strikes targeted ISWAP positions in the Northern Tumbuns—Lake Chad Islands—and Mallam Fatori, where intelligence showed terrorists were mobilising with motorcycles and boats.
- In Kwara State, airstrikes on Garin Dandi and Chigogo areas inflicted heavy losses on criminal elements, causing panic within their ranks.
- In Katsina State, bombardments successfully destroyed key logistics hubs at Zango Hill in Kankara Local Government Area, neutralising several terrorists in the process.
Leadership Commitment and Future Resolve
Air Commodore Ejodame stated that these missions reflect the commitment of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, who has consistently vowed that the NAF will "find them, hunt them down, and protect our people."
The operation underscores the unwavering resolve of the Joint Task Force and the NAF under Operation Fansan Yamma to deny terrorists safe havens, strengthen security in Zamfara State, and support national efforts to restore peace and stability across the North West. Ejodame emphasized that the NAF remains committed to deploying smarter, intelligence-driven airpower to deliver precise lethality against insurgents and criminals while safeguarding the lives and property of all Nigerians.
