Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said its airstrikes hit two terror kingpins locations in the North East and North West and a terrorists meeting venue killing several terrorists.
A statement by the director of public relations and information, Air Cdre Edward Gabkwet however, said there was no confirmation of the death of the terrorists kingpins in the strikes.
He said the air components of “Operation Hadarin Daji” (OPHD) in the Northwest and Operation Hadin Kai in Northeast Nigeria have intensified airstrikes against terrorists.
The statement said the air components alongside the land component and other security agencies have ensured that terrorists, insurgents and other criminal elements operating in the two regions do not constitute significant security threats to innocent citizens.
In the Northwest, he said the Air Component of OPHD on November 1, 2023, conducted a series of successful airstrikes in Kankara local government area of Katsina State, targeting the hideout of a notorious terrorist kingpin, Babaru.
Babaru has been implicated in numerous acts of terrorism and banditry across Kankara and adjacent LGAs in Katsina State.
He said the terror kingpin was involved in the massacre of over 100 residents of Gidan Gari and Yarmai-Yadiya villages in Bakori LGA on February 2, 2023.
“The airstrikes destroyed Babaru’s hideout and eliminated several terrorists, though there was no confirmation if Babaru was among those neutralized,” he said.
According to the director, the airstrikes were also carried out at the enclave of terrorist kingpin known as Mai Solar in Maru LGA of Zamfara State.
“The air strikes took out clusters of enclaves used as hideouts by the kingpin and his cohorts at the location. It was a successful strike as few survivors were observed fleeing the scene of the strike. There is no confirmation if Mai Solar was among the terrorists eliminated”.
Furthermore, precision air strikes by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) on November 3, 2023 also led to the elimination of several terrorists at their meeting point near Degbawa, a reclusive location within the Mandara Mountains in Goza local government area of Borno State.
He said the air strikes were authorised after intelligence revealed the sighting of some key terrorists’ figures and their foot soldiers arriving at the location for a probable meeting.
“Their gathering in large numbers raised concerns, thus necessitating the need for an air interdiction on the location with devastating outcome for the terrorists. An assessment of the location after the strike revealed several terrorists were indeed eliminated”.
Citing several local sources, he said the particular location was carefully chosen by the terrorists to evade being easily detected, especially by NAF aircraft.
The outcome of the strike, however, proved the terrorists wrong as their nefarious plans to meet were detected, thus leading to the success of the air strike.
