The airstrikes by Nigeria Air Force (NAF) have dismantled a major bandits’ enclave located within Dunya Hill and Batauna Forest in Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State, killing many of them.
The Director, Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Air Commodore Olusola Akinboyewa, made this known in a statement on Saturday in Abuja.
Akinboyewa said the strategic airstrikes were conducted on Nov. 12 in furtherance of the intense air interdiction campaign in North West nicknamed “Operation Farautar Mujiya”.
According to him, the affected areas have long served as safe havens for bandit groups due to their dense vegetation and the natural protection provided by an array of caves.
He said the objective of the airstrikes was to dismantle the entrenched criminal networks and degrade their capacity to operate effectively.
Akinboyewa said the airstrikes were preceded by intensive intelligence gathering that meticulously identified high-value targets, including key logistics hubs and hidden armouries used by the bandits.
He said that the aerial assault resulted in the neutralisation of many combatants as well as the obliteration of significant stockpiles of weapons and resources critical to the bandits’ operations.
“Since the commencement of this intensified campaign, credible sources from local communities have confirmed that bandits are on the run, their once-secure enclaves in disarray.
“In a sign of the operation’s success, multiple reports have emerged detailing the escape and liberation of several kidnap victims, who have managed to regain freedom amidst the chaos inflicted upon their captors.
“The NAF continues to execute these precision airstrikes to incapacitate the criminal groups terrorising the Northwestern region, and provide decisive advantage for our surface forces.
“This sustained effort not only demonstrates the Armed Forces’ commitment to restoring peace and security but also provides renewed hope to communities that have long suffered under the threat of banditry.
“More updates on the outcomes of Operation FARAUTAR MUJIYA are expected in the coming days,” he said.