The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Thursday announced that its Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) has uncovered and destroyed an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) factory during precision airstrikes in the Timbuktu Triangle area of Borno State.
According to a statement issued by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, the air interdictions, carried out on June 18, 2025, also targeted and destroyed terrorist gun trucks and killed dozens of insurgents in Kwaltiri, another location within the same region.
Gabkwet said the operation followed credible intelligence and surveillance which confirmed the existence of an active IED manufacturing site and terrorist logistics vehicles in the area.
“Following intelligence reports of terrorist activity, ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance) missions confirmed the presence of an IED-making facility and several vehicles,” the statement read. “NAF aircraft engaged and neutralized the targets in a series of precision strikes.”
He described the operation as a major blow to the terrorists’ operational capacity.
“The successful strikes not only disrupted their logistics and command structures but also sent shockwaves through their ranks, severely degrading their morale and combat effectiveness,” he added.
The NAF reaffirmed its commitment to sustained counter-terrorism operations in the North East, vowing to maintain pressure on terrorist enclaves and ensure the safety and security of citizens in the region.
