*Air strikes kill terror leaders in Katsina, hideouts around Abuja bombed
Seriki Adinoyi in Jos and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
Eight bandits were yesterday killed in Sabongari village in Wase Local Government Area of Plateau State by military taskforce (Operation Safe Haven) in the state.
The incident occurred during a joint operation by officers of the taskforce and vigilantes.
The operation which began on Saturday lasted till Sunday evening.
A resident of the area, Mallam Abdullahi Usman said during the clash, two villages – Zurak and Yaddi-Lawan – which were earlier seized by the bandits and had served as base for them were burnt and reclaimed by the soldiers.
He said, “Some of the bandits were killed while others ran out of the community. It is joint operation with soldiers and vigilantes. It was a successful operation.”
Spokesperson of the military taskforce, Major Ishaku Takwa confirmed the incident.
He said “Eight bandits were killed during the operation in the area.”
Meanwhile, military air strikes at the weekend killed terror leaders and 27 insurgents in their enclaves in Rugu Forest in Katsina State and some parts of the North-east of the country. Similar air strikes were also conducted on terrorists’ hideouts around Abuja.
In addition, Military authorities said last night that fighter jets bombed terror hideouts around Abuja.
Intelligence reports also indicated that while the terrorists fizzle out immediately after carrying out attacks, it has emerged that threats within Abuja were orchestrated by terrorists from their hideouts within Kaduna, Niger and Zamfara States.
The air interdiction came barely a week after the military service chiefs at the last national security council meeting in Abuja, reassured President Muhammadu Buhari and Nigerians that there would be a change in strategy and momentum in the fight against insurgency and terrorism and after the Chief of the Air Staff’s directive to Nigerian Air Force (NAF) operational and air component commanders to ‘show no mercy’ as in decimating terrorists and insurgents in the country.
THISDAY gathered after days of careful planning and coordination, the Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji Saturday carried out successful strikes on key terrorists’ enclaves and hideouts located at Rugu Forest in Katsina State.
The air strikes, it was learnt, killed one Alhaji Abdulkareem Lawal, aka Abdulkareem Boss.
Lawal was a high valued target who had been on the radar of the Nigerian Military and other security agencies for a while. He was based in Marina area of Safana LGA and was responsible for several terrorists’ attacks and kidnappings.
He was known to regularly invite terrorists’ groups from other areas and regions to join him in attacks on targets.
Specifically, he was part of the terrorist group that carried out attacks that eventually led to the death of the Nigerian Police Area Commander of Dutsin ma on July 5, 2022.
A military source confirmed that Abdulkareem Boss was neutralised in the precision strike alongside 27 of his foot soldiers.
It was further gathered that air strikes conducted by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai at Degbawa near Mandara Mountain in Gwoza LGA of Borno State on the 3 August 2022 may have led to the death of a well-known terrorist Kingpin, Alhaji Modu, aka Bem Bem, and some of his fighters.
“Alhaji Modu, a key ISWAP Commander had converged with others for a morning meeting on an intended attack before they were struck by an array of NAF assault aircraft.
“An assessment of the strike revealed that the entire location was levelled to the ground and sources have since revealed that no fewer than 20 terrorists were confirmed eliminated in the strike”, a military source said.
THISDAY learnt that similar air strikes were also conducted on terrorists’ hideouts around Abuja. “Although Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance reports have since indicated that the terrorists fizzle out immediately after carrying out their nefarious acts, credible information have since revealed that threats within Abuja was being orchestrated by terrorists from their hideouts within Kaduna, Niger and Zamfara States”, a security source said.
“In view of this, NAF aircraft under Operation Whirl Punch were dispatched to undertake intensive air interdiction operation to degrade/neutralise the terrorists within their identified hideouts in Giwa, Birnin Gwari, Kajuru and Chikun LGA in Kaduna State and Kusasu, Kwaki and Kukere LGA in Niger State.
“The operations were aimed at forestalling them from further planning to cause mayhem within Kaduna and Niger States as well as surroundings around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
So far, the identified locations hit by NAF aircraft include Jan Birni, Kusasu, Kauwuri, Kwaki, Ukambo Hill within the Kwiambana Forest as well as Alhaji Chorki Location,” the source added.
He said the locations were attacked decisively and were struck in successive passes until they went into flames.
Some casualties, who were spotted to be struggling to scamper for safety were effectively mopped up. “The positive feedbacks received from ground troops deployed indicated that the terrorists have suffered heavy casualties and their logistics bases razed to the ground.
“The successes of the air strikes underscore NAF’s indefectible commitment to ridding the entire Northern region as well as the FCT of terrorism in collaboration with other security agencies and restoring peace and sanity.
“Operational commanders have also been told to sustain the momentum and ensure they minimise, to the barest minimum, the freedom of movement of terrorists and insurgents,” he said.
Spokesman of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, confirmed the air interdiction.
