The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said
its personnel on internal security operations in Zamfara State have killed
scores of bandits terrorising the people of the state.
The bandits were killed in Sububu
Forest, Birni Magaji and Rugu Forest following air strikes and helicopter
gunship attacks on the stronghold of the terrorists.
NAF Director of Public Relations
and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, who made this known in a
statement, said that the air interdictions and reconnaissance missions against
the bandits were carried out in quick succession between August 9 and 11.
Daramola, in the statement, said:
“The Nigerian Air Force Air Task Force (ATF) for Operation Diran Mikiya has
notched up another series of successful operations against armed bandits in the
northwest of the country.
“The successes were recorded in
recent air interdiction and armed reconnaissance missions conducted from 9 to
11 August, 2018, resulting in the neutralisation of armed bandits in Sububu
Forest, Birnin Magaji and Rugu Forest in Zamfara State.
“The attack at Sububu Forestwas
executed in the afternoon of August 9, 2018, following the discovery of a
bandits’ hideout within the forest. Earlier in the morning on the same day, the
ATF had conducted a coordinated clearance operation involving NAF Special
Forces at a suspected armed bandits’ camp on the outskirts of Galadi in the
northwest of Zamfara State. During this operation, the bandits were discovered
to have vacated the camp and dispersed into the nearby Sububu Forest.
“Consequently, the ATF dispatched
a combat aircraft for armed reconnaissance to seek out and destroy the bandits.
The aircraft subsequently spotted a large number of bandits within the forest
and neutralized them.
“Similarly, on August 10, 2018, a
combat helicopter on a reconnaissance mission spotted a group of bandits, armed
with automatic weapons and mounted on motorcycles, at a location about 6km
northeast of Birnin Magaji in the eastern part of Zamfara State.
“From all indications, the
bandits were advancing for an attack on Birnin Magaji. Accordingly, another
helicopter gunship was scrambled to provide additional combat support. Both
helicopters effectively engaged the bandits and neutralised many of them.
“Furthermore, on August 11, 2018,
the ATF conducted another successful attack that neutralised bandits at
RuguForest. The mission was initiated based on credible intelligence that a
location on the fringes of Rugu Forestnear Ajia, in the eastern part of Zamfara
State, was being used by the bandits as a logistics staging area for the supply
of arms and ammunition. Accordingly, a fighter aircraft and helicopter gunship
were dispatched to attack the location within the forest. Upon arrival over the
objective, several bandits were seen on motorcycles. They were attacked and
neutralised in successive strikes by the two aircraft.
“Operation Diran Mikiya, which
commenced on July 31, 2018, is an intensive air operation aimed at locating and
neutralising armed bandits with a view to stopping killings, cattle rustling
and other criminal activities in the North-West. The NAF continues to solicit
useful information from the general populace to facilitate the success of the
operation.”
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