The Nigerian Air Force has intensified its campaign against insurgent networks, striking a major terrorist hub in Arra, a concealed enclave tucked deep within the Sambisa forest.
The operation followed fresh intelligence linking the area to renewed movements by militant cells believed to be behind recent attacks in the region.
Air Force aircraft under Operation Hadin Kai launched the assault after receiving a direct order from the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke.
Senior military officers described the mission as one of the most precise operations conducted in the forest in recent months.
Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, who speaks for the Air Force, confirmed the development, explaining that the offensive was a product of layered intelligence gathered over several days.
He said persistent aerial monitoring traced suspicious patterns around Arra shortly after the October 17 ambush in Kashomri.
“Several reconnaissance flights revealed that Arra had quietly evolved into a nerve centre for logistics and command coordination,” Ejodame said.
“Once the evidence became irrefutable, the strike teams were cleared to engage.”
According to him, the attack jets carried out multiple, well-timed runs on the identified locations, hitting structures believed to serve as communication points, storage depots, and operational shelters.
He stressed that preliminary assessments indicate that all designated targets were neutralised.
“A number of facilities central to their operations were taken out. This strike dealt a heavy blow to their ability to regroup or launch further attacks,” Ejodame added, insisting that the air offensive had significantly weakened the militants’ operational capacity.
He noted that the operation aligns with the Air Force’s broader mandate to support ground troops and maintain pressure on insurgent strongholds across the North-East.
In his words, “Our focus is to keep dismantling these networks wherever they attempt to re-emerge. Every successful mission brings the country a step closer to enduring stability.”
Military authorities say surveillance operations will continue across the wider Sambisa axis to ensure the terrorists do not re-establish their presence.