By Frank Momoh
Even as bandits have pledged to submit 216 rifles, the Air Component of Operation HADARIN DAJI has said that it has neutralized no fewer
than 20 armed bandits at a location near Munhaye in Zamfara State in air strikes conducted on Tuesday.
The Air Commodore Director of Public Relations and Information Nigerian Air Force, Mr. Ibikunle Daramola, in a statement said, the operation was executed sequel to credible intelligence reports indicating that scores of armed bandits had assembled at the location for a meeting, supposedly with the intention of attacking innocent civilians in the surrounding communities.
He said: “The Air component therefore scrambled a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Alpha Jet to attack the location, which is about 15 kilometres from the boarder with Katsina State.
“Upon arrival overhead the area, the Alpha Jet observed over 30 armed bandits attempting to flee the location whilst firing at the approaching attack aircraft. The Alpha Jet engaged the bandits with effective fire, neutralizing 20 of them.”
The NAF, working in consonance with other security agencies, he averred will sustain its operations to flush the bandits out of the North-west of the country.