NAF’s airstrikes thwart terrorists’ regrouping

One week of heavy air bombardment in North-East and North-West has thwarted plans by terrorists and their cohorts to regroup in many states.
Military sources said that the preceding week had been eventful, especially for the air components of Operation Hadarin Daji (OPHD) in the North-West and Operation Hadin Kai in North-East of Nigeria.

According to spokesman of the Air Force, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, “alongside the land component and other security agencies, aircraft under these operational theatres have ensured that terrorists, insurgents and other criminal elements operating in the two regions do not constitute significant security threats to innocent citizens within the regions.

“In the North-West, the OPHD on November 1, 2023, conducted a series of successful airstrikes in Kankara Local Council of Katsina State, targeting the hideout of a notorious terrorists’ kingpin, Babaru.

“Babaru has been implicated in numerous acts of terrorism and banditry across Kankara and adjacent local councils in Katsina State. Notably, he was involved in the massacre of over 100 residents of Gidan Gari and Yarmai-Yadiya villages in Bakori Local Council on February 2, 2023. The airstrikes destroyed Babaru’s hideout and eliminated several terrorists, though there was no confirmation if Babaru was among those neutralised.

“Air strikes were also carried out at the enclave of terrorists’ kingpin known as Mai Solar in Maru Local Council 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.

“Precision air strikes by the 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 Gwoza Local Council of Borno State.

“The air strikes were called for after intelligence revealed the sighting of some key terrorists 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 that several terrorists were indeed eliminated.”

According to several sources, the particular location was carefully chosen by the terrorists to evade being easily detected, especially by the Nigerian air Force (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.

The sources also noted that this strike was a major setback for the terrorists who have of late been at the receiving end of the air and land components of OPHK.

There were also strong indications that these terrorists were responsible for the recent attack on some locals in Geidam on October 31, 2023 and had planned to meet to review the attack as well as plan the next line of attack on innocent civilians and other vulnerable targets.