The Defence Headquarters says the Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji has eliminated several armed bandits and destroyed their logistics facilities in massive air strikes conducted in the Kwiambana Forest in Zamfara.
The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.
Enenche said the hit was a continuation of air interdiction missions being executed under subsidiary Operation Wutan Daji II to rid the North West zone of armed bandits and other criminal elements.
He explained that the location was designated for attack after intelligence reports and confirmatory Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions, established that the cluster of huts and other structures at the edge of the Forest.
According to him the location was discovered as hideout for notorious bandits’ leaders ‘Sani Mochoko’ and ‘Damina’ and some of their fighters.
“Accordingly, the Air Component scrambled Nigerian Air Force jets and helicopter gunships to attack the location.
“The attack aircraft took turns in engaging the target area resulting in significant damage to the bandits’ structures as well as the killing of several of their fighters,” he said.