troops of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Air Task Force (ATF) fighting bandits in Zamfara State, under Operation Diran Mikiya, have killed scores of bandits in the state.
A statement by the director of public relations and information, NAF, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, said in continuation of operations to flush bandits out of the North West, the ATF, between August 25 and 27, 2018, successfully neutralised several bandits at Bayan Ruwa and Rugu forest in the eastern part of Zamfara State.
Daramola explained that the attack on Bayan Ruwa was executed following an encounter with a notorious group of bandits by ground forces while conducting clearance operations on August 25.
He said: “The troops called for close air support and the ATF dispatched a ground attack aircraft as well as an attack helicopter to the location. The aircraft supported the ground forces of Sector 3 to inflict maximum damage on the criminal elements.”
The NAF spokesman added that armed reconnaissance missions conducted on August 26 and 27 revealed the presence of some bandits at a settlement east of Hayin Alhaji as well as some warehouse-like structures deep inside Rugu forest that were being used as hideouts by the bandits and several bandits and a considerable number of rustled cattle were seen around one of the makeshift warehouses.
“The warehouses and the criminals operating there were attacked by the combat helicopters, leading to the destruction of the makeshift buildings and neutralization of several armed bandits,” he said.
Daramola assured residents that the ATF would continue to dominate the area through armed reconnaissance and air interdiction missions to completely decimate the bandits in order and ensure a return to normalcy in Zamfara and other states in the North West.
