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This file photo taken on March 15, 2022 shows a US Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft landing during a joint exercise with Japanese Self Defense Forces members at the Higashifuji training area in Gotemba, Shizuoka Prefecture. Photo Credit: AFP
The Nigerian Air Force, on Monday, said strikes from its fighter jets killed several terrorists planning to disrupt the repair being carried out on the Shiroro-Kaduna transmission line.
PUNCH Online reports that terrorists had destroyed the transmission line, a major conduit supplying electricity to the North.
The attack on this infrastructure has plunged 17 northern states into darkness, leaving them without electricity for the past three weeks.
In response, President Bola Tinubu ordered troops to provide cover for electricity workers to enable them to carry out necessary repairs on the damaged infrastructure.
However, in a statement on Monday, the Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore, Olusola Akinboyewa said the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance missions carried out by the service confirmed the presence of terrorist fighters converging to disrupt the repair of the transmission line.
He added that terrorists were engaged and several of them were killed.
Akinboyewa said, “In a coordinated mission to support power restoration efforts in Kaduna and other northwestern states, the NAF, on November 1, 2024, executed a series of air interdiction operations targeting terrorist positions located deep within the Alawa Forest in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State. This mission aligns with ongoing efforts to secure power infrastructure and ensure uninterrupted progress in restoring electricity to affected areas.
“The strike followed a series of ISR missions which confirmed the presence of terrorist fighters who were converging to disrupt ongoing power restoration. The air component, acting swiftly on this intelligence, planned and carried out a successful airstrike to neutralize the threat. Overhead the target area, NAF crews observed and engaged the terrorists, neutralizing several fighters and their logistics with precise firepower.”
Akinboyewa said the Air Force has dominated the air space in the area to prevent the terrorists from interfering in the efforts to restore power to the affected states.
He said, “Alongside these interdictions, the NAF has intensified armed reconnaissance along critical power lines from Shiroro Lake to Damba, maintaining airspace dominance to prevent any potential terrorist interference in the restoration efforts.
“This sustained mission underscores NAF’s commitment to collaborate with other security agencies in protecting vital infrastructure and ensuring the swift and full restoration of essential services for Kaduna and neighbouring states.”
