The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says it has killed scores of terrorists in a precision airstrike at Metele, deep in the Northern Tumbuns area of the Lake Chad Basin.
The operation happened in the early hours of Wednesday, according to a statement on Thursday by NAF spokesperson Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame.
Ejodame said the strike followed credible intelligence and surveillance missions that confirmed the presence of a senior terrorist commander, hideouts, and heightened activity in the area.
NAF air assets engaged the targets with precision. Aircrew observed significant terrorist movement around concealed structures, confirming hostile elements. The aircraft then executed devastating strikes on the designated locations.
Post-strike battle damage assessment confirmed the destruction of the terrorists' enclave and the neutralisation of scores of them, Ejodame said.
Reacting, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, commended the personnel involved. He reaffirmed the NAF's commitment to sustaining relentless pressure on terrorist elements.
"We will continue to leverage our airpower capabilities to locate, strike, and destroy terrorist targets wherever they are found," Aneke said. "The Nigerian Air Force remains resolute in denying terrorists freedom of action and ensuring they have no safe haven within our sovereign territory."
Metele has been a notorious flashpoint in the fight against insurgents in the northeast. In 2018, the town was the site of a deadly attack on a Nigerian Army base that killed scores of soldiers, one of the worst losses for the military in the region.
The Lake Chad Basin, which spans Nigeria, Chad, Niger, and Cameroon, remains a stronghold for Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Despite years of military campaigns, the terrorists continue to launch attacks from remote islands and forest hideouts.
This latest strike is part of a sustained air campaign by the NAF to degrade insurgent capabilities before the rainy season, when mobility becomes harder for ground troops. The NAF has increased intelligence-driven operations in recent months, targeting commanders rather than just foot soldiers.
Air Marshal Aneke, who became Chief of the Air Staff in 2024, has made precision strikes a cornerstone of his strategy. He has pushed for more surveillance drones and better coordination with ground forces to avoid civilian casualties, a recurring criticism of past air campaigns.
The exact number of terrorists killed wasn't disclosed, but "scores" typically means at least 20 to 30. The NAF rarely gives precise figures, citing operational security.
No civilian casualties have been reported from the strike. The area is largely uninhabited, with few settlements, which reduces the risk of collateral damage.
The military hasn't named the senior commander targeted, but intelligence sources suggest he was a key figure coordinating attacks on military convoys and villages along the Baga-Metele axis.
This operation comes just days after the NAF killed several ISWAP fighters in a similar strike in the Tumbuns region. The Tumbuns are a series of islands and swampy terrain that provide cover for insurgents fleeing ground offensives.
The NAF says it will continue to release updates as more assessments are completed.