16th May, 2019
The Nigerian Air Force says 12 bandits were killed in airstrikes conducted in Kamuku Forest area in the north-western part of the country.
Director of NAF Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.
According to him, the forest spans both Birnin Gwari Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State and Sabuwa LGA of Katsina State.
Daramola said the success was recorded following the establishment of the 271 Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Detachment in Birnin Gwari.
He explained that the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Diran Mikiya conducted air strikes on May 10, in collaboration with troops of the Detachment, which led to the killing of the bandits and rescue of 15 kidnap victims.
The NAF spokesman added that the air strikes were carried out on the heels of intelligence reports indicating that the bandits were camped within Kamuku Forest area.
The strikes, he noted, caused the bandits to flee the location in disarray thereby enabling the kidnap victims to escape.
Daramola disclosed that some of the victims found their way to Nacibi while, and others to Gobirawa and Dogon Muazu in Birnin Gwari.
He said the air force was working in consonance with surface forces and other security agencies, adding that it would sustain the operations to flush bandits out of the region.