The Nigerian Air Force has said that its Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai eliminated 22 terrorists in air strikes at their identified hideouts and enclaves in Borno on Sunday.
NAF Director of Public Relations and Information Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet said in a statement on Monday in Abuja that the air strikes were carried out after intelligence was received from the Land Component that about 22 terrorists in a gun truck and two motorcycles were sighted near Marte.
He said that NAF aircraft were immediately dispatched to interdict the location and after trailing the terrorists for about 70 minutes, the terrorists in the gun truck and two motorcycles stopped underneath a tree to refuel or evade detection.
“The targets were subsequently engaged with a huge ball of fire engulfing the area observed afterwards, destroying the gun struck and motorcycles with no sign of movement observed afterwards.
The huge explosion could be indicative that the point where the terrorists hid was likely a logistics base or their vehicle was conveying weapons or explosive ordinances,” he said.
The targets were subsequently engaged with a huge ball of fire engulfing the area, destroying the gun truck and motorcycles with no sign of movement observed afterwards.
Gabkwet said that the failed strategies adopted by terrorists to evade detection and the firepower of the land and air components by moving from one point to another was indicative of their inability to hold ground and pose significant threats to military formations or pick on soft civilian targets at will.
He noted that the terrorists had continued to exhibit desperation and weakness through their conduct.
Gabkwet said that Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum had recently acknowledged that the security situation in the state had improved by more than 85 per cent while economic activities had picked up.
