Molly Kilete
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), has said that its Air Task Force (ATF) engaged in the counter-insurgency operations in the North East has killed scores of terrorists belonging to the Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) and destroyed their hideouts in Borno State.
Director of Public Relations and Information Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, who made this known in a statement, said the ISWAP fighters met their end after they assembled for a meeting at their one of their hideout in Kolloram on the fringes of Lake Chad in the Northern part of Borno State.
Daramola in the statement said: “The Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE has neutralised several Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters as they assembled for a meeting at their hideout in Kolloram on the fringes of Lake Chad in the northern part of Borno State.
“The operation was conducted on February 24, 2019, following credible intelligence reports indicating that some of the ISWAP leaders and fighters had assembled for a meeting in a group of buildings at the centre of the settlement.
“A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform, which was deployed for confirmatory surveillance, observed the presence of the terrorists at the location and subsequently called for 2 Alpha Jet aircraft to attack the group of buildings. Bombs from the first Aplha Jet hit the desired mean point of impact causing damage to the building and neutralising some of the terrorists. Some of the surviving fighters, who formed the outer security cordon of the meeting venue, were seen engaging the NAF aircraft with Anti-Aircraft (AA) and small arms fire. The attack aircraft continued to engage the target area with bombs and rockets in several passes, mopping-up the terrorists who survived the initial strikes.
“The NAF, operating in concert with surface forces, will sustain its efforts to completely destroy all remnants of the terrorists in the Northeast.”