The Nigerian Air Force said on 24 August 2026 that it had intensified air strikes against people it described as terrorists and bandits in Sokoto, strengthening its deployment to support military operations on the ground. The service did not provide figures for the number of strikes, targets or casualties in the information available.
According to the NAF spokesperson, the increased deployment is considered critical to addressing asymmetric threats. The service said terrorists and bandits frequently use difficult terrain, mobility and concealment to avoid ground forces, complicating efforts to locate and confront them.
Ejodame, identified in the reports as speaking for the Air Force, quoted Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Sunday Aneke as saying the NAF would continue to optimise its use of air power. Aneke said the aim was to deliver decisive effects in support of joint operations, indicating that the air campaign forms part of a wider military effort rather than a stand-alone mission.
The material released did not identify the specific parts of Sokoto affected by the latest strikes or state when individual missions were carried out. It also did not disclose which groups were targeted, what infrastructure or positions were hit, or whether ground forces followed the air operations.
No independently verified account of the outcome was included in the available reports. Further information would be needed to establish the scale of the deployment, the effect of the strikes and whether civilians or property were affected.