NAF airstrike kills ISWAP commander, 39 others in Borno

The air component of the Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, has neutralised over 40 Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists, including a prominent commander, in a precision airstrike on a terrorist enclave at Badu Village in Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State.

The spokesperson for Operation Hadin Kai, Captain Mohammed Goni, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday, October 12, 2026.

Goni said the intelligence-driven operation carried out on Saturday, October 10, followed credible reports of a concentration of ISWAP fighters preparing to launch coordinated attacks on troops in Borno State.

Acting swiftly on the intelligence, Goni said the air component conducted targeted aerial surveillance, identified terrorist movements around suspected hideouts and logistics facilities, and subsequently executed a precision strike on a building occupied by the terrorists.

He stated: “Preliminary Human Intelligence, Battle Damage Assessment indicates that over 40 terrorists, including a prominent ISWAP Qaid (commander), were neutralised in the strike.

“The operation also destroyed two vehicles and approximately 20 motorcycles used by the terrorists for mobility, logistics and offensive operations, thereby significantly degrading their fighting capability and disrupting planned attacks on military positions and surrounding communities.”

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Goni said further intelligence revealed that the terrorists belonged to ISWAP’s Murabitun element, a specialised mobile fighting unit responsible for conducting patrols, coordinating attacks, and sustaining terrorist activities within the general area.

Goni noted that the destruction of the enclave and associated operational assets represents a significant setback to the group’s capacity to launch attacks and sustain its activities in the Lake Chad region.

“Further assessment is ongoing to ascertain the full extent of the damage inflicted,” he added.