The Nigerian Air Drive (NAF) has carried out a profitable airstrike in opposition to a convoy of armed bandits working throughout a number of communities in Mariga Native Council of Niger State.
Based on a reliable supply and eyewitnesses, the precision strike focused the bandits as they moved via Yabawa, Bazana, Awallah, Dankolo, and Kumbashi, en path to Kakihum.
The bandits have been reportedly transporting a big herd of stolen cattle from Ragada and surrounding villages when NAF fighter jets launched the offensive.
It revealed that the aerial bombardment neutralised a number of bandits, forcing others to flee in disarray.
A resident of Ragada, who had been beforehand kidnapped and brought towards Dankolo, recounted his slim escape.
“When the jet started bombing, God saved me; that was how I escaped from their fingers,” he mentioned.
Eyewitnesses reported that the strike occurred whereas the bandits have been nonetheless in transit, not at a set hideout.
Villagers observing from a distance described listening to a number of explosions, adopted by thick plumes of smoke and sporadic gunfire because the criminals scattered.
Floor troops stationed in Rijau, Warari, and Gulbin Boka reportedly supported the operation by sealing off escape routes and stopping reprisal assaults on close by communities, a lot of that are presently sheltering a whole lot of internally displaced individuals (IDPs).
Residents praised the mission as the best navy response but to the current surge in violence throughout Mariga and its environs.
Further experiences indicated that one other armed group, additionally transporting stolen cattle from Magama Native Authorities Space, was final seen heading towards the Kakihum-Kumbashi axis, prompting renewed requires sustained aerial and floor surveillance.
“If each the bandits and the stolen cattle perish collectively, so be it. What we would like is peace to return to our land,” one resident harassed.
Intelligence gathered over the previous week revealed the presence of no less than seven closely armed teams working throughout the Mariga–Rijau–Magama hall. Observers warned that with out the swift intervention of the Air Drive, the area stretching from Rijau to Kontagora might have confronted renewed assaults.
The success of the operation has considerably bolstered public confidence within the Nigerian Armed Forces and reaffirmed the nationwide dedication to eradicating banditry within the space.
The Mariga airstrike has been counseled as one of the crucial exact and morale-boosting missions in current occasions, highlighting the effectiveness and coordination of Nigeria’s navy equipment.
