The Defence Headquarters on Friday, said that the troops of the air component of Operation Hadarin Daji have neutralised over 38 bandits in separate operations in Katsina and Zamfara States.
This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by the Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. John Enenche, titled, ‘Operation Hadarin Daji: Air component neutralizes scores of bandits in Katsina and Zamfara States’.
Enenche explained that the operations in Katsina State included an airstrike executed on Tuesday, after intelligence reports indicated that a group of bandits, armed with high calibre weapons, had rustled some cattle and attacked commuters along the Batsari-Jibia road.
He said the bandits who were reportedly retreating with the stolen livestock towards Garin Labo, were tracked and located by a Nigerian Air Force attack helicopter as they were heading towards Runka Forest.
“The helicopter unleashed a heavy barrage of rocket fire on the bandits, killing no fewer than 21 of them, as later confirmed by human intelligence sources,” the statement noted.
Similarly, an attack helicopter on night armed reconnaissance mission over Tsambre Hill and Dunya Forest, Katsina State, reportedly spotted another group of bandits in the forest.
About 17 of the criminals were said to have been killed in airstrikes.
In the Zamfara operation, the NAF helicopter reportedly eliminated scores of criminals at their hideouts at Yan Uku village, while some escaped with gunshot wounds.
PUNCH