Air force warplanes destroy Bandit camps, kill scores in Zamfara

The Nigerian Air Force, NAF, on Wednesday, said its Air Task Force (ATF) on Operation Diran Mikiya destroyed eight armed bandits’ camps in Zamfara State.

The spokesman of the NAF, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, in a statement, said the air strikes, which were intensified on 8 April 2019 with the deployment of additional aircraft, were aimed at flushing out the bandits.

He said reliable intelligence indicated that the hideouts were in Sububu, Rugu and Kagara Forests, amongst others.

He said the deployment of the air platforms was also to ensure the protection of the lives and properties of citizens in the Northwest of the Country.

Daramola said: “On the first day of the intensive operation, the ATF conducted coordinated air raids against multiple identified armed bandits’ hideouts at Doumborou, Sububu, West Malamawa, Baturia Pond and Rugu Forest, where several bandits were neutralized and their camps destroyed.”

“Yesterday, 9 April 2019, the ATF conducted waves of attacks against several targets. The first wave struck three armed bandits locations within Sububu Forest as well as another camp in Kagara Forest.

“Targets attacked in the second wave were notable armed bandits’ hideouts at Kamarawa, Kunduma and Tsamare Hill, while the third wave focused on armed bandits’ hideouts in Doumborou.

“The ATF also provided close air support to surface forces of Sector 2 to enable them to move into the attacked areas to mop-up the fleeing survivors and recover their weapons. In all, the ATF degraded 8 camps and neutralized scores of armed bandits,” he stated.