Airstrikes undertaken by the air component of Operation Hadarin Daji in Northwest Nigeria have eliminated several terrorists loyal to a notorious kingpin known as ‘Babura’.
The airstrikes carried out on May 27, 2024, were conducted around Bakai, Bakarya, and Yartsintsiya bandits’ hideouts in Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina State, Air Force spokesman, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet said.
“Credible intelligence received after the strike revealed that about 30 terrorists were confirmed to have been neutralized. It was also confirmed that Babura narrowly escaped being eliminated, while most of his foot soldiers were not so lucky,” Gabkwet said.
“Similar air strikes were also carried out by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai on the same day at Tumbun Fulani, near Lake Chad, against terrorists at a once abandoned hideout.
“The strikes were authourized after Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions observed a pattern that was consistent with the relocation of terrorists to new hideouts and movement their logistics.”
Our correspondent gathered that the same location was struck by NAF aircraft on 26 and 28 September 2023 with several terrorists eliminated and their logistics and mobilities destroyed.
“That these remnant of terrorists have returned to their once-destroyed enclave, is indicative of the successes being recorded by both air and ground troops in flushing them out of their various hideouts,” Gabkwet said.
