Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Defence Headquarters, said the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE, have destroyed more operational bases of the Boko Haram group and killed several of its fighters in an air raid of the sambisa forest.
Coordinator Defence Media Operations Major General John Enenche, who made this known in a statement said “Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs) in the Sambisa Forest general area of Borno State have been set in disarray as a result of massive air strikes conducted by the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE on 15 May 2020. The operation was executed based on credible intelligence reports as well as series of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions, which showed that the terrorists had upscaled their activities in the settlement by importing additional fighters and increasing their logistics stocks preparatory to attacks on troops’ locations and surrounding civilian settlements. Consequently, the ATF dispatched an enhanced force package of attack aircraft and a surveillance platform to engage the location.
“Overhead the target area, significant activity of the terrorists was observed in different parts of the settlement. The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets took turns in attacking the target area, neutralizing many BHTs as well as destroying their logistics facilities and other structures in successive passes, thereby further degrading their will to fight.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria, operating in concert with other security agencies and stakeholders, will sustain the offensive against the enemies of our Great Nation. We shall not relent until peace and normalcy are restored not only in the North East but also in every other troubled region of our beloved Country.”