Troops Kill 82 Bandits in Katsina, Zamfara Forests

Troops of Operation Hadarin Daji have gunned down 82 bandits in Katsina and Zamfara States.

While 67 criminals were eliminated at the Birnin Kogo Forest in Katsina, 15 were dispatched to the great beyond at the Ajjah Forest in Zamfara.

Disclosing this yesterday in a statement titled, ‘Operation Hadarin Daji: Air components neutralises scores of bandits in airstrikes at Birnin Kogo forest and Ajjah forest in Zamfara,’ the Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. John Enenche, said the airstrikes were executed on Monday.

He said the military operation was sequel to intelligence on the hideouts.

It explained that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets and helicopter gunships took turns in engaging the target areas, scoring accurate hits on the caves used by the bandits to shield themselves from airstrikes.

The statement read, “No fewer than 67 bandits, armed with very high-calibre weapons, including AntiAircraft guns, have been neutralised and several others injured in air interdiction missions executed by the Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji at Birnin Kogo Forest in Katsina State.

“In the same vein, about 15 bandits were eliminated in airstrikes conducted by the Air Component at Ajjah Forest in Zamfara State.

“Both airstrikes were carried out on November 23, 2020, sequel to credible human intelligence reports as well as aerial surveillance missions that led to the identification of the two forest hideouts, which housed scores of the bandits along with hundreds of rustled cattle.”