NAF Alpha Jets Bombard More Targets in Sambisa Forest

Boko Haram kills 26 in fresh attacks on Borno villages

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), in its bid to sustain the ongoing air assault against the Boko Haram terrorists in Sambisa Forest, has continued to hit vital targets with a view to decimating the capability and resolve of the members of the sect to continue to fight and cause havoc.

This was contained in a statement signed yesterday by the NAF Director of Public Relations and Information (DOPRI), Air Commodore Dele Alonge.

Alonge said the most recent success was the attack on the terrorist targets in Ngoshe and Pulka by the Alpha Jets providing close air support to own ground forces.

He also revealed that the aerial bombardment was instrumental to the recapture of the strategic boundary town of Gamboru-Ngala by the Nigerian army.

“The targets, which include solar panels believed to be used by the sect for generating electricity within the Sambisa Forest, were hit during the recent take-over of Gamboru-Ngala by own troops,” he said.

But despite the heavy bombardment, the Boko Haram terrorists continued their attacks on villages and communities in the North-east, where 26 persons, including elderly and kids, were killed.

Witnesses say 26 people were killed in Borno State by attackers on horseback believed to be rebels of the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram.

Ali Abdulqasim said his village, Kolori, and the neighboring village of Baanaimam were attacked late Tuesday.

According to AP, Abdulqasim yesterday said he escaped the attack by scaling a mango tree from where he saw horsemen chase down and shoot fleeing villagers. He said he spent the night on the tree and when he came down in the morning he saw many corpses. Abbas Gava, a spokesman for a civilian defense group, said 26 people died in the attacks.

Boko Haram’s six-yearold uprising has caused the deaths of an estimated 20,000 people.

In a related development, the former Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Air Commodore Yusuf Anas (rtd), speaking on the plight of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), recommended that states and the federal government should begin to work out programmes and modalities towards permanent resettlement of the IDPs from their camps.

Anas said such is required “so that the families could be reintegrated back to the communities and the society to pursue their normal livelihood.”

He said available records revealed that “there are presently 27 official camps coordinated by NEMA where IDPs are managed.

This, he said included16 camps in Borno State, four in Adamawa State, four in Yobe State, one camp each in Edo State, FCT and Plateau State.