Image used for Illustration In a show of strategic dominance, the Nigerian Air Force struck a newly identified hiding ground west of Zuwa on 3 September 2025, obliterating key structures and giving war-weary civilians a glimpse of renewed hope
The early morning silence of Sambisa’s rugged forest was shattered on September 3, 2025, when Nigerian Air Force jets pierced through the skies west of Zuwa. In what has been described as a carefully executed and intelligence-driven operation, more than 15 terrorists were neutralized, and their makeshift command base was reduced to rubble. It was not just another strike; it was a precision assault that targeted the heart of an enclave notorious for harbouring fighters and commanders behind recent hostilities around Bitta in Borno State.
Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the spokesman of the Air Force, captured the essence of the mission in a statement released the following morning. “The mission was carefully planned and executed… neutralising over 15 terrorists and demolishing key structures critical to their operations,” he revealed. His words painted a picture of calculated determination and a relentless push to dismantle the operational backbone of insurgent groups that have for years tormented communities in the northeast.
For many civilians in Borno, this latest airstrike is more than a military statistic; it is a breath of relief in a region where fear has lingered like a shadow. In Konduga, a displaced widow, Aisha Musa, who fled Sambisa with her three children five years ago, broke down in tears when she heard of the air raid. “Each time they say terrorists have been killed, I pray it is true. My husband was taken by them, and I want to believe his spirit rests when justice comes from the sky,” she said softly, clutching the hand of her youngest child.
Farmers, who often risk their lives to till the soil on the fringes of insurgent-held territories, also welcomed the news. “If these strikes continue, maybe we can finally farm without looking over our shoulders,” said Mallam Ibrahim, a maize farmer in Bitta. “Last season, I lost half my crops because we could not go back to the farm after hearing that insurgents were nearby. This year, I feel a little safer.”
Local leaders, too, see the strikes as a lifeline for fragile communities struggling to rebuild. Village head of Damboa, Alhaji Bukar Ali, explained how security gains encourage displaced families to return. “When the Air Force bombs their hideouts, it weakens their hold. People start to come back, schools reopen, and our markets revive. Every successful strike is not just for the soldiers, it is for us, the ordinary people,” he remarked.
The latest air interdiction was not an isolated event but rather a continuation of a campaign that has grown in intensity over the past months. Just weeks earlier, the Air Force reported the elimination of over 592 terrorists and the destruction of more than 370 assets across Borno, including technical vehicles and logistics hubs that had sustained the insurgency. That effort involved nearly 800 combat sorties and over 1,500 hours of relentless flying under Operation Hadin Kai. Each mission, carried out with A-29 Super Tucano aircraft and Mi-171 helicopters, has chipped away at the insurgents’ ability to regroup or launch coordinated offensives.
The Sambisa strike also follows a series of decisive blows delivered in recent months. In July, air raids swept across the Mandara Mountains, dismantling fortified hideouts on the Nigerian–Cameroonian border. Weeks before that, in June, coordinated bombings at Tumbumma Baba and Chiralia thwarted planned attacks during Eid celebrations, ensuring that thousands of worshippers could mark the festival in peace. The pattern is clear: the NAF has sharpened its reliance on intelligence-led operations, striking where it hurts most.
But the significance of these missions extends beyond the tactical victories. Every strike weakens the logistical arteries that insurgents rely upon. Warehouses, command shelters, and fortified caves that once held weapons and supplies have been demolished, depriving fighters of the tools to sustain long-term warfare. “Every successful strike brings Nigeria one step closer to lasting peace,” Ejodame emphasized, a statement that resonates deeply in a region weary of decades-long violence.
Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno has repeatedly commended the Air Force for its role in safeguarding lives. “These missions create the breathing space our communities need to rebuild,” he said during a recent security briefing. For displaced families in IDP camps and those slowly returning to their ancestral lands, the skies now represent something more than the roar of jets, they represent a fragile promise of stability.
As the dust settled over Zuwa, what remained was not just the wreckage of insurgent hideouts but also a resounding message: Nigeria’s skies are no longer safe havens for terror. For Aisha Musa, for Mallam Ibrahim, for Alhaji Bukar Ali and thousands like them, each successful strike is a reminder that their suffering has not been forgotten. The Air Force has turned the tide of battle, proving time and again that insurgents can run, but they cannot hide. And in those ashes, perhaps, lies the fragile hope of a region inching closer to lasting peace.
0 Comments