Nigeria: NAF jet bomb bandits hideout, kills 78 in Zamfara

Nigeria: NAF jet bomb bandits hideout, kills 78 in Zamfara

The NAF jets’ bombardments has killed no fewer than 78 bandits in northwest Operations, sources in the military have said on Friday.

According to the sources: “Air offensive action against bandits in North West Nigeria received a boost in a 3-day intensive military operation led by the Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji.

In its resolve to rid the Region of banditry, the air component focused on locations with a high concentration of bandits such as South of Dansadau town and North of Kuyanbana
Forest Reserves in Zamfara State.

“Specifically, on 2 August 2021, Nigerian Air Force (NAF) surveillance platforms overhead these locations locked on armed bandits on bikes moving into Kuyanbana Forest Reserves. Diligent tracking of their movement led the platforms to extensive and well-concealed camps with numerous huts.

“Accordingly, using a mix of NAF Alpha Jet, MI 171 and Agusta 109 strike helicopters, the bombardment of the camps commenced on the evening of 2 August 2021 in liaison with ground troops forming blocking forces around the targeted areas of the forest.

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“Further ISR by the air component confirmed a total abandonment of the camp by the surviving bandits.”

Ground troops during clearance operation locals in the general vicinity also confirmed an exodus of surviving bandits from the forest.

In another development, the NAF 404 Force Protection Group stationed in Kaduna, on 4 August 2021, arrested a 48-year-old bandits’ logistics runner named, Aminu Saminu, around the Kaduna International Airport.

During interrogation, the culprit revealed that he usually disguises as a charcoal businessman to purchase food and other items for bandits at Bamba Village in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna state in North Central Nigeria