Following President Muhammadu Buhari‘s instructions that bandits and criminal elements be treated in the language they understand, the Nigerian military, in turn, have shown they understand the assignment given to them.
An aggressive three-day airstrike by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has left several bandits’ camps destroyed in Zamfara, North West.
The operation, it was gathered, was led by the Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji.
A military source who spoke to Nigerian Tribune revealed that no fewer than 78 bandits were killed in the bombardment.
“Airstrike action against bandits in North West Nigeria received a boost in a three-day intensive military operation led by the Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji.
“In its resolve to rid the region of banditry, the air component focused on locations with a high concentration of bandits such as South of Dansadau town and North of Kuyanbana Forest Reserves in Zamfara State.
“Specifically, on August 2nd this year, Nigerian Air Force (NAF) surveillance platforms overhead these locations locked on bandits on bikes moving into Kuyanbana Forest Reserves.
“Diligent tracking of their movement led the platforms to extensive and well-concealed camps with numerous huts.
“Accordingly, using a mix of NAF Alpha Jet, MI 171 and Agusta 109 strike helicopters, the bombardment of the camps commenced on the evening of 2 August 2021 in liaison with ground troops forming blocking forces around the targeted areas of the forest.
“Through these coordinated attacks, over 78 bandits were neutralized, and their camps destroyed. Informants and locals in the general vicinity also confirmed an exodus of surviving bandits from the forest.
“Further ISR by the air component confirmed a total abandonment of the camp by the surviving bandits.”