Some bandits terrorising parts of Zamfara state in Nigeria’s northwest region have been killed by troops of the Nigerian air force, the security outfit said on Sunday.
The gunmen, it was learned, were killed in their hideouts inside forests, according to the spokesperson for the force, Commodore Ibikunle Daramola.
Daramola said in a statement that the strikes were carried out after an intelligence report.
The statement read: ”The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Air Task Force (ATF) for Operation DIRAN MIKIYA, on 15 and 18 August 2018, successfully degraded several identified hideouts of a notorious armed bandit kingpin.
”The attacks, which were executed in support of ground troops in Sector 2 of Operation SHARAN DAJI, were planned based on credible intelligence that the kingpin and his group of armed bandits were using an abandoned primary school in SHAMASHALE as well as some makeshift settlements in nearby RUGU Forest in the Eastern part of ZAMFARA State as bases for their operations.
”The attack at SHAMASHALE was conducted on 15 August 2018, following further confirmatory Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions that revealed the presence of several armed bandits in the area.
”Accordingly, the ATF dispatched 2 combat helicopters to attack the location. During the attack, some bandits carrying sophisticated high caliber weapons were seen trying to flee the area. Some were on motorcycles carrying AK-47 rifles and, rather than dropping their weapons and surrendering, attempted to shoot at the helicopters; hence they were neutralised.”