Military airstrikes kill scores of bandits, destroy 10 camps in Katsina, Zamfara

The Defence Headquarters says the Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji, has taken out ten bandits’ locations and eliminated scores of bandits in Katsina and Zamfara States in the last few days.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, in a statement on Wednesday, said the success was recorded in a subsidiary air interdiction operation, codenamed Wutan Daji.

Enenche said the operations were aimed at taking out identified armed bandits’ locations selected based on impeccable intelligence reports and series of Surveillance missions.

According to him, 10 locations have been attacked and scores of armed bandits neutralised since the operation began on June 20.

He said: “Some of the significant airstrikes include those executed at Dutsen Asolo and Birnin Kogo areas of Katsina State as well as at Dogo Gede’s Camp in the Kwayanbana Forest area of Zamfara state.

“At Dutsen Asolo, NAF jets attacked the cave/hideout of the bandits, destroying the main entry point and neutralising some fighters.

“Some surviving bandits, who were tracked escaping from the cave area, were taken out in follow-on strikes.

“Also, on June 21 2020, at the bandits’ enclave in the Kwayanbana Forest, an attack helicopter took out one of the bandits’ logistics huts, which was seen engulfed in flames.

“Similarly, at Birnin Kogo on June 22, some armed bandits, who fled their dwellings in the centre of the camp to nearby bushes, were neutralised as the NAF fighter jets hit them at their hiding positions.

“The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, who was in Katsina to oversee the operations, commended the Air component of Operation Hadarin Daji for their professionalism.

“He urged them to remain resolute in the conduct of air strikes whilst continuing to provide close air support for ongoing ground operations in order to eradicate all armed bandits.

“This is geared toward accomplishing the directives of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) to restore normalcy in the North West and North Central zones of the country.”