By Reportcircle Abuja
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has delivered one of its most decisive blows yet against insurgent forces, flattening a major terrorist enclave in the Sambisa axis during a precision air interdiction mission that military insiders describe as “a turning-point operation.”
The high-impact strike, executed on 19 November 2025, targeted ARRA, a heavily fortified hideout notorious for harbouring fighters linked to the 17 October ambush on Nigerian ground troops at Kashomri.
The mission was carried out by the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI, following weeks of intense intelligence gathering.
According to senior defence officials, persistent Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) flights had tracked suspicious movement patterns, weapons flow and command activities at the ARRA location.
The evidence triggered what commanders called a “deliberate, intelligence-led offensive.”
NAF jet crews conducted multiple coordinated attack runs, striking every designated objective with surgical accuracy.
All identified structures and operational assets believed to house tactical commanders, armoury stores and communication hubs—were completely destroyed.
Military analysts say the destruction of ARRA is a severe setback for insurgent networks that had relied on the enclave as a regrouping and logistics node.
Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, Director of Public Relations and Information, confirmed the success of the strike, adding that the operation “significantly degraded terrorist capabilities and disrupted their command chains.”
He said the mission reflects the unwavering resolve of the Chief of the Air Staff and the NAF to maintain relentless pressure on terrorist elements across all fronts.
“The Nigerian Air Force remains fully committed to neutralising threats, defending the nation’s territorial integrity and supporting ground forces until lasting peace is achieved,” Ejodame stated.
With insurgent groups attempting to reorganise after recent clashes, the neutralisation of a major hub like ARRA sends what officials describe as a “clear and crippling message.”
The operation is expected to reduce the frequency of coordinated ambushes and deny terrorists the freedom to manoeuvre within the Sambisa corridor.
As counterterrorism operations intensify across the Northeast, the Air Force’s precision strike at ARRA marks one of the most consequential military actions of 2025 signalling a renewed phase of proactive, intelligence-driven warfare.
