Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Defence Headquarters said the air component of Operation HADARIN DAJI has destroyed several strongholds of bandits and other criminals and killed 135 of them in an air raid conducted in Kastina and Zamfara states between May 20 and 22.
Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche said the air strikes were conducted following intelligence reports revealing the presence of bandits camps, at Abu Radde Camps 1 and 2 and Dunya in Jibia and Dan Musa Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Katsina State as well as Hassan Tagwaye’s Camp; Alhaji Auta’s Camp and Maikomi in Birnin Magaji and Zurmi LGAs of Zamfara State.
Enenche said “As part of the renewed offensive to rid the North West of the country of armed bandits and other criminal elements, the air component of Operation HADARIN DAJI has decimated several camps and neutralised no fewer than 135 armed bandits in massive air raids executed at several locations in Katsina and Zamfara states between 20 and 22, May 2020.
The air strikes were undertaken sequel to credible Human Intelligence (HUMINT) reports as well as series of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions that led to the identification of the camps, which include Abu Radde Camps 1 and 2 and Dunya in Jibia and Dan Musa Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Katsina State as well as Hassan Tagwaye’s Camp; Alhaji Auta’s Camp and Maikomi in Birnin Magaji and Zurmi LGAs of Zamfara State.
“The air interdiction missions were painstakingly undertaken by the air component as it dispatched its attack aircraft to the locations in multiple bombing runs, some of which were executed simultaneously. At the Abu Radde Camps on 20 May 2020, a set of huts housing one of the notorious bandit leaders was taken out by air strikes with scores of the bandits killed and few seen fleeing with gunshot wounds towards the Dumburum Forest. Similar air raids were executed at Hassan Tagwaye’s and Alhaji Auta’s Camps as well as at Maikomi with equally devastating effects. HUMINT reports later confirmed that no fewer than 135 bandits were neutralised by the series of air strikes at the various locations.