Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja
The Nigerian Air Force Headquarters has said the the Air Component of Operation Whirl Punch eliminated a syndicate of terrorists on 15 motorcycles in Kaduna State.
The strike followed an intelligence report of the movement of the syndicate along the Kwiga-Kampamin Doka axis in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State.
The intelligence report also revealed that the same syndicate was responsible for the ambush on troops at Kwanan Mutuwa on 27 January 2024 as well as several attacks and abduction of innocent civilians in Birnin Gwari.
On arrival at the suspected location, a deliberate and detailed scan revealed a trail of terrorists sighted moving in a convoy of about 15 motorcycles, each with at least two armed terrorists.
Accordingly, the terrorists were trailed to a location where they converged before they were engaged and neutralised in a precision strike.
A Nigerian Air Force statement said the aftermath of the air strike revealed that several of the terrorists were eliminated as a result of the strike.
It said the air interdiction was in line with its relentless campaign to rid the North-west and North-central region of Nigeria of the menace of terrorism and kidnapping.
“The strike followed an intelligence report of the movement of the syndicate along the Kwiga-Kampamin Doka axis in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State. The intel also revealed that the same syndicate was responsible for the ambush on troops at Kwanan Mutuwa on 27 January 2024 as well as several attacks and abduction of innocent civilians in Birnin Gwari.
“On arrival at the suspected location, a deliberate and detailed scan revealed a trail of terrorists sighted moving in a convoy of about 15 motorcycles, each with at least two armed terrorists. Accordingly, the terrorists were trailed to a location where they converged before they were engaged and neutralised in a precision strike”, it said.
It said the aftermath of the air strike revealed that several of the terrorists were eliminated as a result of the strike.
The statement said the success of the air strike drew the attention of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, who commended the component commander but cautioned that efforts must be sustained.
“While this does not call for celebration on our part, I must commend the professionalism of the crew for patiently trailing the criminals until an appropriate opportunity to strike presented itself. We must keep pushing and striving”, it said.
