The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said its airstrikes have eliminated numerous bandits, including key loyalists of infamous bandit leaders, Dan-Isuhu and Dogo Sule, in Zamfara State.
A statement by the NAF spokesman, Air Cdre Olusola Akinboyewa, on Sunday, said the terrorists were perfecting plans for coordinated attacks against military personnel or civilians along the Tsafe axis in the State before the airstrikes.
He said the airstrikes were executed in continuation of operation FARAUTAR MUJIYA, aimed at eliminating bandit threats in Northwestern Nigeria.
According the NAF spokesman, the Air Component of Operation FANSAN YAMMA on November 15, 2024, carried out air interdiction missions in Zamfara State, which led to the neutralisation of numerous bandits.
He said the airstrikes targeted a large assembly of bandits in Babban Kauye village, situated in Tsafe local government area of the State.
He said; “intelligence sources revealed that the congregation of criminals was perfecting plans for coordinated attacks against military personnel or civilians along the Tsafe axis.”
He said the NAF, upon receiving credible intelligence, launched a series of devastating airstrikes, inflicting significant casualties on the criminal elements.
“Reports from the ground confirmed the successful elimination of numerous high-ranking members of the bandit groups, dealing a severe blow to their operational capacity,” he said.
He reiterated that Tsafe local government area has long been a flashpoint for bandit activities, with factions loyal to Dan-Isuhu and Dogo Sule, notorious for orchestrating violent assaults on local communities, security forces, and vital infrastructure.
According to him, the groups have utilised remote settlements like Babban Kauye as strategic safe havens, from where they coordinate and execute their nefarious operations.
“The latest airstrikes represent a robust response and support for the Theatre Command of Operation FANSAN YAMMA by the NAF, aligning with broader efforts to dismantle and completely degrade bandit networks in the region, disrupt planned attacks with a view to restoring peace and stability to the embattled Northwest,” he added.
He reaffirmed the NAF commitment in collaboration with sister Services and other security agencies to secure the region and indeed the nation as a whole “as we work to eliminate threats posed by terrorists, bandits and all other criminal elements working against the peace and prosperity of our beloved country.”
See More Photos Below: