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From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said its air component of Operation Hadarin Daji in Northwest Nigeria has bombarded terrorist hideouts in Katsina and Borno states, killing 30 terrorists in the attack.
NAF Director, Public Relations and Information, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet, who made the disclosure, said the air strikes, carried out on May 27, 2024, were conducted around Bakai, Bakarya, and Yartsintsiya bandits’ hideouts in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State and Tumbun Fulani, near Lake Chad.
Gabkwet’s statement reads: “It has now been confirmed that air strikes undertaken by the air component of Operation Hadarin Daji in Northwest Nigeria have eliminated several terrorists loyal to notorious terrorist kingpin known as Babura.
“The air strikes, carried out on May 27, 2024, were conducted around Bakai, Bakarya, and Yartsintsiya bandits’ hideouts in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State. Credible intelligence received after the strike revealed that about 30 terrorists were confirmed to have been neutralised. It was also confirmed that Babura narrowly escaped being eliminated, while most of his foot soldiers were not so lucky.
“Similar air strikes were also carried out by the air component of Operation Hadin Kai on the same day, at Tumbun Fulani, near Lake Chad, against terrorists at a once abandoned hideout. “The strikes were authorised after Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions observed a pattern that was consistent with the relocation of terrorists to new hideouts and movement of their logistics. The same location was struck by NAF aircraft on September 26 and 28, 2023 with several terrorists eliminated and their logistics and mobilities destroyed.
“That these remnants of terrorists have returned to their once-destroyed enclave is indicative of the successes being recorded by both air and ground troops in flushing them out of their various hideouts.”
