The Air Component of the Operation Hadin Kai in the North-East has carried out successful airstrikes, killing several terrorists on four gun trucks in Borno State on November 8 and 11, 2023.
A statement by the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) Director of Public Relations, Air Cdre Edward Gabkwet, said the two major airstrikes led to the decimation of several terrorists taking cover at Ajigin and Banki Junction areas located in the State.
The NAF spokesman said the airstrikes were part of efforts aimed at clearing the remnant of terrorists causing mayhem and disunity among law-abiding Nigerians.
The statement noted that the airstrikes were conducted on terrorists’ enclaves situated at 1.9km South of Ajigin on November 8, 2023.
He said the terrorists, who had hidden four gun trucks under thick shrubs, had earlier perfected plans to attack friendly troops’ location around Damboa and Wajiroko before the precision strikes.
He noted that during the airstrikes, three of the gun-trucks were struck “as evidenced by the thick black smoke and fire from the trucks after the strike, while the last gun-truck was observed fleeing the scene of the strike.
“The truck was subsequently tailed for about 26 Km and thereafter disappeared under a tree.”
He added that the truck was subsequently struck “and observed to be on fire with no sign of movement at the location.”
He added: “the destruction of the four gun trucks, along with the occupants, effectively degraded the capability of the terrorists to attack friendly forces and locals within the area.”
Furthermore, airstrikes were conducted at a location 7km East of Banki Junction on November 11, 2023, a well-known terrorists’ enclave hitherto deserted but suddenly active with high terrorists’ activities and used as logistics storage area and staging area to attack troops’ locations at Banki Junction.
Hence, NAF aircraft were scrambled to interdict the location, leading to the destruction of the location with the logistics sites on fire.
He added that the terrorists have continued to feel the firepower of both the air and ground forces.
“Indeed, the inability of these terrorists to move freely and at will is also attributed to the effectiveness of the operational jointness exhibited, especially by the air and ground troops, which should be commended,” Gabkwet stated.
