The Military High Command on Sunday said that the Nigerian Troops have killed over 200 armed bandits in multiple airstrikes in the troubled Katsina and Zamfara States respectively.
Tribune Online reports that the operation which lasted for 48 hours was part of renewed efforts to end insurgents activities in the county.
This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by the coordinator, Defence Media Operations, DMO, Major General John Enenche.
According to the statement, the airstrikes were executed by the Air Component of Operation HADARIN DAJI after series of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions.
He said the ISR missions led to the confirmation that the two locations were being used as hideouts for some notorious armed bandit leaders whilst also serving as collection points for rustled cattle.
The release stated that consequently, the Troops engaged armed bandits in the multiple airstrikes conducted at Ibrahim Mai’Bai’s Camp in Jibia Local Government Area of Katsina State and Kurmin Kura in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State on Friday and Saturday, killing about 200 bandits.
“Accordingly, Air Component, employing Nigerian Air Force ground attack aircraft and helicopter gunships, engaged the two locations in multiple passes, destroying the makeshift structures in the camps as well as killing the bandit leaders and their fighters. Human Intelligence (HUMINT) sources later confirmed that close to 200 armed bandits were killed in the airstrikes at the target locations.”
The statement quoted the Chief of Army Staff ,CAS, Lt General Tukur Buratai commending the Air Component of Operation HADARIN DAJI for their professionalism, enjoying them to remain resolute towards eradicating all armed bandits thus achieving directives of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of restoring normalcy in the North West and North Central Zones of the country.
It added that CAS has also directed that additional assets be deployed to cover Kaduna, Niger, Nasarawa and Kogi States to frustrate any attempt of the bandits to relocate to adjoining states.