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The Nigerian Air Force, on Thursday, said air strikes carried out in the Tumbuns area, near Lake Chad in Borno State killed many terrorists.
The service said the operation was successfully carried out following the forced relocation of remaining terrorists to higher and drier ground after their hideouts were flooded and exposed due to persistent rainfall in the area in recent days.
In a statement, NAF spokesperson, AVM Edward Gabkwet, said the Nigerian Air Force conducted Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance missions over the location on August 22, 24, and 26, 2024.
He added that the missions revealed several terrorists, along with some of their salvaged belongings, concealed within four makeshift shelters, some of which were hidden under trees and dense vegetation.
Gabkwet said, “In a major blow to remnants of terrorists hiding in the Tumbuns near Lake Chad, the air component of Operation Hadin Kai successfully conducted an air interdiction mission at Jubillaram in southern Tumbuns. The operation was made possible following the forced migration of remnant terrorists to higher and drier grounds after their enclaves became flooded and exposed due to persistent rainfall in the area in recent days.
“To confirm this, NAF conducted Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance missions over the location on 22, 24, and 26 August 2024, which revealed several terrorists with some of their salvaged belongings tucked within four makeshift accommodations, some concealed under trees and thick vegetation.”
He added that apart from killing several terrorists, their armoury, logistics storage facilities and other structures were equally destroyed.
Gabkwet said, “Consequently, precision air strikes were authorised on the selected target areas, engaging and destroying most of the structures. A thick black smoke from one of the destroyed structures signified a storage area, probably designated as an armoury or a logistics storage area. Several terrorists were also neutralised in the process.
“The success of this operation is a testament to the NAF’s commitment to achieving its mandate and protecting the nation from terrorist threats. The excess rainfall and swampy terrain may have inadvertently pushed the terrorists out of hiding, but it was the swift and decisive action of the NAF that took advantage of the situation to strike a significant blow against them.
“It is also important to note that striking at the heart of terrorists’ enclaves in Maiduguri goes a long way in destabilising their centre of gravity and diminishing their capacity to cause mayhem, especially on civilian targets. These enclaves also serve as feeders to other terrorist cells operating within the region.”
Meanwhile, the Multinational Joint Task Force, also, on Thursday, announced the arrest of two suspects for allegedly supplying illicit drugs to the Boko Haram and Islamic State of West African Province insurgents in the Lake Chad region.
The suspects were also alleged to be supplying uniforms and flag materials to the insurgents.
The MNJTF, Lt. Col. Olaniyi Osoba, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Maiduguri.
He said that troops of the task force arrested one of the suspects along the Kekeno-Cross Kauwa Road in Borno, and recovered a substantial quantity of substances and 198 parcels of Marijuana.
“In a separate operation, another suspect was arrested along the Gubio-Damasak Road.
“The suspected terrorists’ operative was driving a blue Toyota pick-up vehicle with Registration No: JAK 49 XA (YOBE), and was found with two sacks containing 19 bundles of clothing materials.
“These materials were suspected to be intended for making uniforms and flags for Boko Haram and ISWAP fighters,” he said.
Osoba said the troops also rescued three women and a baby, suspected to be family members of the terrorists, adding that they claimed to have escaped from the terrorists’ enclaves in the southern Lake Chad Island in the Marte Local Government Area of Borno.
“The women and the baby are currently undergoing medical assessment and profiling.
“This operation marks a significant step forward in the fight against terrorism in the Lake Chad region, disrupting the supply chains that sustain these terrorist groups and rescuing innocent lives from their grasp,” he said.
In a related development, troops of Operation Whirl Punch in Kaduna State killed eight bandits in the Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of the state.
According to a statement by Kaduna State’s Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, the operation took place on Thursday.
Aruwan said the troops engaged and neutralised seven bandits in the Kampanin Doka general area and also recovered arms, ammunition, and motorcycles.
The items recovered, according to him, are three AK-47 rifles, eight AK-47 magazines with 120 rounds of ammunition, one magazine carrier, six motorcycles, three mobile phones, two Baofeng radio sets and three pairs of civilian clothes
“During the concluding leg of the patrol, further contact was made with bandits around the Gayam general area. The troops neutralised one, as others were suspected to have escaped with gunshot wounds.
“The Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, thanked the security forces for the feedback and commended the troops, under the leadership of the General Officer Commanding, 1 Division Nigerian Army/Commander Operation Whirl Punch, Maj. Gen. MLD Saraso, for their valiant efforts and notable breakthroughs.
“Citizens are urged to report suspicious persons seeking treatment for gunshot injuries to the Security Operations Room on the phone lines 09034000060 and 08170189999.
“Fighting patrols will continue within the general area and other locations of interest.”
