The Air Component of Operation Thunder Strike on Sunday destroyed a major bandits hideout in Kusasu area of Kaduna, killing scores of bandits, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche said in a statement on Monday.

The airstrike comes barely 24 hour after troops raided Kaduru forest in the state.

Mr. Enenche said the air raid was in continuation of sustained efforts to rid Kaduna State and its environs of bandits and other criminal elements.

He said the hit was achieved following human intelligence reports, corroborated by series of aerial surveillance missions that led to the identification of the camp of a bandits’ leader, known as Alhaji Labi.

According to him, Mr. Labi is an associate of Dogon Gede, a notorious bandits’ leader in Katsina State.

He said the Air Component subsequently dispatched an appropriate force package of Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets and helicopter gunships to attack the location.

“Overhead the target area, significant presence of the bandits, along with a large number of rustled cattle, was observed.

“The attack aircraft took turns in engaging the location, delivering devastating hits which destroyed the bandits’ structures, including their logistics storage facilities, which were seen engulfed in flames.

“Several bandits were also killed in the attack.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria and other security agencies remained resolute in the fight against banditry and other sundry crimes and will not relent until normalcy is restored to all troubled zones of the country,” he said. 

NAN