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Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said its Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji (OPHD) have killed 10 armed bandits operating at forests near Birnin Gwari and Janko Hill in Kaduna State.
Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, said: “The Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji (OPHD) has neutralized no fewer than 10 armed bandits at forests near Birnin Gwari and Janko Hill in Kaduna State. The operation was conducted yesterday, October 5, 2019, following the directives by the OPHD headquarters to resume kinetic operations against camps identified as harboring unrepentant armed bandits.
“The decision was taken in the wake of the attack on troops’ location at Sunke in Anka Local Government Area of Zamfara State as well as the increased migration of bandits towards the Birnin Gwari area of Kaduna State. The attack on the armed bandits was undertaken when a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) helicopter on armed reconnaissance mission over the Birnin Gwari general area spotted several bandits at the location and engaged them, killing some of them. Some bandits were similarly tracked to Janko Hill and equally neutralized. “The objective of the renewed kinetic operations is to ramp up the pressure on the bandits with a view to ensuring the ongoing peace process is not scuttled.
“Accordingly, the Air Component OPHD will continue to dominate the general area through armed reconnaissance missions to facilitate a return to normalcy in the Northwest of the Country. All persons involved in armed banditry in the area are therefore strongly advised to renounce violence, surrender to security agencies and hand over their weapons.”
