Air Force bombs bandits’ camp in Kaduna

The land and air components of Operation Thunder Strike have neutralised scores of armed bandits during a joint offensive operation on identified bandits’ camps in the Yadi and Kufai Shantu areas of Giwa Local Government Area, Kaduna State.

The operation was executed on Saturday on the heels of credible human intelligence reports as well as series of aerial surveillance missions that led to the identification of the hideouts of a notorious bandits’ leader and his fighters.

A statement on Sunday by the Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. John Enenche, said the first wave of the airstrikes involved seven Nigerian Air Force aircraft which undertook 12 missions and a total of 23 sorties.

The operation which commenced at dawn targeted a cluster of huts housing notorious bandits’ leader, Buhari Halilu.

The statement titled, ‘Operation Thunder Strike: Land and air components clear bandits’ location in Kaduna State, neutralise scores of bandits at Yadi,’ said the attack aircraft destroyed some of the target structures and neutralised several bandits.

Enenche said the second wave of attacks which targeted the bandits’ hideout at Kufai Shantu, was aimed at incapacitating the hoodlums at the location to reduce resistance to the ground troops advance towards Yadi.

The statement in part read, “Following the air component’s fixing efforts at Kufai Shantu, the land component, supported by an attack helicopter, successfully assaulted Halilu’s hideout at Yadi, clearing two of three objectives.

“The ground troops subsequently fought through fierce resistance from bandits hiding under the foliage at the third objective and eventually overpowered the criminals, eliminating several of them.”