Air Force Airstrike Destroys 2 Terrorists’ Hideouts

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) claimed that multiple terrorists were killed when its aircraft struck two terror kingpin locations in the North East and North West as well as a terrorist gathering place.

However, according to a statement from Air Cadre Edward Gabkwet, head of information and public relations, there was no proof that the terrorist kingpins had died in the attacks.

He said that airstrikes against terrorists have increased as a result of the air components of “Operation Hadarin Daji” (OPHD) in the Northwest and “Operation Hadin Kai” in Northeastern Nigeria.

According to the statement, rebels, terrorists, and other criminal elements operating in the two regions do not pose a serious threat to the security of innocent inhabitants because of the efforts of the air, land, and other security agencies.

He claimed that on November 1, 2023, in the Northwest, the Air Component of OPHD carried out a number of successful airstrikes in the Kankara local government area of Katsina State, targeting the lair of a well-known terrorist kingpin named Babaru.

Babaru has been connected to multiple incidents of banditry and terrorism in Kankara and surrounding Katsina State LGAs.

He said that on February 2, 2023, over a hundred people from the villages of Gidan Gari and Yarmai-Yadiya in Bakori LGA were massacred. This slaughter was carried out by the terror mastermind.

 “The airstrikes destroyed Babaru’s hideout and eliminated several terrorists, though there was no confirmation if Babaru was among those neutralized,” he said.

According to the director, the airstrikes were also carried out at the enclave of terrorist kingpin known as Mai Solar in Maru LGA of Zamfara State.

“The air strikes took out clusters of enclaves used as hideouts by the kingpin and his cohorts at the location. It was a successful strike as few survivors were observed fleeing the scene of the strike. There is no confirmation if Mai Solar was among the terrorists eliminated”.

Additionally, on November 3, 2023, the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) carried out precise airstrikes that resulted in the death of multiple terrorists at their meeting place close to Degbawa, a secluded area in the Mandara Mountains in the Goza local government area of Borno State.

He added that intelligence had shown that certain prominent terrorists and their foot soldiers had been spotted approaching the site for what was likely to be a meeting, and that this is why the airstrikes had been approved.

 “Their gathering in large numbers raised concerns, thus necessitating the need for an air interdiction on the location with devastating outcome for the terrorists. An assessment of the location after the strike revealed several terrorists were indeed eliminated”.