Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets have bombed a meeting venue of members of the Islamic State for West Africa (ISWAP) in Kolloram on the fringes of Lake Chad, killing scores of insurgents, NAF has said in a statement.
The statement added that the insurgents engaged the jets with anti-aircraft guns and small firearms.
The bombardment followed intelligence gathered by the NAF that ISWAP fighters assembled for a meeting.
“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 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,” the statement explained.
It added: “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 two Alpha Jets aircraft to attack the group of buildings.
“Bombs from the first Alpha 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 statement signed by NAF spokesman, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, said “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.”
