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NAF Fighter Jet Bombards Terrorists’ Strongholds In Katsina, Kills 22 Bandits, Others
A Nigerian Air Force fighter jet on anti-banditry operations in Katsina State has bombarded a terrorists’ base, killing over 22 terrorists, bandits, kidnappers, and other criminals terrorizing the peace of the state.
The terrorists mostly made up of foot soldiers of the deceased notorious terrorists’ kingpin, Alhaji Abdulkareen Lawal, aka Abdulkareen Boss, were said to have been killed on July 17 by air strikes conducted by the Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji (OPHD), at Batsari and Sola Poi II in Batsari and Jibia Local Government Areas (LGA) of Katsina State.
The strikes were said to have been executed following credible intelligence reports that the terrorists were responsible for several abductions and violent attacks on some communities within Kankara LGA of Katsina State. In the same vein, an intelligence report at SOLA POI II uncovered a large number of terrorists hibernating at the location with the aim of kidnapping and attacking commuters along the Jibia-Katsina road.
Subsequently, the air component of OPHD conducted waves of air interdiction missions, which acquired the targets in multiple passes, killing several terrorists and destroying their structures and hideouts.
Air strikes by NAF aircraft on August 6, 2022 eliminated terrorist leader, Alhaji Abdulkareem Lawal, a.k.a Abdulkareem Boss, and some of his foot soldiers, at Ruga Forest in Katsina State. Late Boss was alleged to have masterminded the killing of a Nigerian Police Area Commander of Dutsinma on July 5, amidst several other atrocities.
A security source, who did not want to be mentioned in print, said the air component of OPHD, after days of careful planning and coordination, had, on August 6, 2022, carried out successful strikes on Abdulkareem’s enclaves and hideouts located at Rugu Forest in Katsina State, leading to his elimination.
The source further stated that Boss was a highly valued target who had been on the radar of the Nigerian military and other security agencies for a while. He was based in the Marina area of Safana LGA and was responsible for several terrorist attacks, animal rustling, and kidnappings.
When contacted, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, who confirmed the air strikes, refused to give details of the operations. He, however, noted that the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Vice Marshal Hasan Abubakar, had, since assumption of office, directed all air component commanders to jointly synergize their efforts with other security agencies, as they bring to bear NAF’s firepower on all terrorists’ targets and their enclaves.
Gabkwet said: “That we are now hearing that some of these terrorists are seeking a negotiated end to their meaningless war on innocent Nigerians speaks volumes of the outcome of the directive of the chief of the air staff to the various air component commanders.”
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