Aircraft of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), operating under the joint task force of Operation Hadin Kai, have successfully bombarded terrorist positions at Abbajiri in the Timbuktu Triangle area of Lake Chad, paving the way for a coordinated ground offensive by troops.
The Director of Public Relations and Information of the NAF, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, disclosed this in a statement, explaining that the operation followed a coordinated air interdiction mission carried out on January 8, 2026.
According to Ejodame, the airstrikes were executed based on credible and actionable intelligence gathered from multiple sources, which confirmed the presence of terrorists, their structures, and hidden logistics facilities within the area.
“Acting on actionable, multi-source intelligence that confirmed active terrorist presence, structures, and concealed logistics facilities in the area, NAF air assets were employed in integrated surveillance and precision strike roles to engage identified targets,” he said.
He noted that the successful precision strikes significantly degraded terrorist capabilities in the area and created a favourable environment for ground forces to advance and consolidate gains.
The operation, he added, underscores the Nigerian Air Force’s continued commitment to supporting ground troops and strengthening joint efforts aimed at eliminating terrorist threats and restoring peace and stability in the North-East region.
