*Collaborates to Boost Air Power Capabilities For Enhanced National Security
Aleke Aleke in Abuja
The hierarchy of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) yesterday said that the Air Component of Joint Task Force North-East, Operation Hadin Kai, foiled a terrorist assault on troops in Rann, Borno State, through coordinated Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) and Air Interdiction (AI) missions in the early hours of 8 August 2025.
The Director of Public Relations and Information, Headquarters, Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, in a statement revealed that acting on credible intelligence, the Operation Hadin Kai Air Component established contact with ground forces, identified clusters of fleeing insurgents, and engaged them with precision munitions, neutralizing several in the process.
This was as the NAF strengthens collaborations with Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) to boost air power capabilities for enhanced national security.
Ejodame stressed that the swift and decisive action restored calm to the area, underscoring the NAF’s unwavering commitment to providing close air support, safeguarding troops, and rapidly neutralizing insurgent threats.
In a separate statement, the NAF’s spokesperson disclosed that the NAF and Nigerian Communications Satellite (NIGCOMSAT) Limited are poised to deepen strategic collaboration in a move to strengthen Nigeria’s national security, technological sovereignty, and operational sustainability.
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, stated this when the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NIGCOMSAT, Mrs. Jane Egerton-Idehen, paid him a courtesy visit at NAF Headquarters in Abuja.
Ejodame said, “Discussions during the meeting centered on forging a robust inter-agency partnership that would leverage NIGCOMSAT’s space-based capabilities to enhance the NAF’s operational efficiency, particularly in the areas of secure communications, real-time intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance.”
Recognizing the evolving nature of modern warfare and the growing reliance on space technologies, both parties underscored the critical importance of indigenous satellite solutions in safeguarding Nigeria’s sovereignty and achieving national defense objectives.
Speaking during the visit, the Chief of the Air Staff highlighted the strategic need for home-grown technological solutions to meet the NAF’s dynamic operational requirements.
“We must continually seek innovative ways to improve our capabilities and reduce reliance on foreign systems. Strategic collaboration with institutions like NIGCOMSAT is essential to ensure secure communication and real-time situational awareness across our theaters of operation,” Abubakar stated.
In her response, the NIGCOMSAT CEO commended the NAF for its forward-looking approach and reaffirmed her agency’s readiness to support the Force with secure, mission-tailored satellite services.
“This partnership is not only timely but critical in strengthening Nigeria’s digital defense infrastructure. NIGCOMSAT stands ready to deploy its expertise in support of the Nigerian Air Force and contribute meaningfully to national security,” Egerton-Idehen affirmed.
Ejodame said the visit signals a renewed commitment by both agencies to foster greater inter-agency synergy and harness indigenous technological infrastructure to bolster Nigeria’s air defense and surveillance capabilities.
