The Nigerian Armed Forces on Sunday said that “scores” of armed bandits were killed and their weapons destroyed in air strikes executed by the Air Component of Operation HADARIN DAJI at two separate bandits’ camps, at Tsibiri and Manya, in Zurmi Local Government Area (LGA) of Zamfara State, Northwest region of the country.
Major General John Enenche, Coordinator of Defence Media Operations, Defence Headquarters, Abuja said in a statement that the offensive, which took place on Saturday was part of the operations under Operation ACCORD to rid the Northwest and Northcentral States of armed banditry.
Earlier, General Enenche has said in a statement that five bandits were killed, a camp of the bandits destroyed in two separate operations in the same Zamfara State.
General Enenche stated that the air interdiction mission at Tsibiri, which is located 15 kilometres East of Zurmi, was executed on the heels of credible Human Intelligence (HUMINT) reports indicating that the camp, with its clusters of thatched huts nestled close to a group of trees, was being used by the bandits to house their fighters and store their weapons and ammunition.
Accordingly, the Defence Spokesperson said, “two Nigerian Air Force attack helicopters were dispatched to engage the location scoring accurate hits on the target area leading to the destruction of the structures and the weapons and ammunition stored in them as well as the neutralization of bandits in the huts and surrounding bushes.
“The attack helicopters later conducted an air strike on another camp South of Manya, which also resulted in the killing of more armed bandits, including some of their leaders, as they gathered for a meeting at the location.
Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has commended the Air Component of Operation HADARIN DAJI for their professionalism, directing them ”to remain resolute whilst continuing to provide close air support for ongoing ground operations, towards accomplishing the directives of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) to restore normalcy in the North West and North Central Zones of the Country.”