November 30, 2021

A bombardment of aerial strikes by the Nigeria Airforce (NAF) component of Operation Gama Aiki (OPGA) has helped kidnap victims to escape from the custody of terrorists in Niger State.

The airstrike eliminated scores of terrorists in the state whose stock in trade is to kidnap and demand ransoms.

It was gathered that some civilians abducted by the bandits and held hostage in makeshift structures escaped during the military bombardments.

A NAF attack jet killed the criminal elements during air interdictions raid at the criminals’ camps in Kusarsu, a community along Abuja-Kaduna highway.

According to a military intelligence officer who was involved in the operation, credible intelligence had revealed the presence of suspected terrorists’ hideout and logistics base at Kusarsu, while the movement of some terrorists from Kusarsu towards Kaduna-Abuja Road was also observed, earlier within the week.

A large number of the terrorists were also gathered at settlements in Gaude and Dutse Magaji.

“Subsequently, Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft under OPGA were scrambled in the early hours of 26 November 2021 to take out the targets.

“Overhead Kusarsu, the NAF combat crew sighted several terrorists gathered at the locations and subsequently launched a coordinated strike after which the location was seen engulfed in flames.

“The aftermath of the strike also revealed remnants of surviving terrorists fleeing the location. It was also observed that about 50 metres from the target location, several persons suspected to be kidnapped victims were observed escaping out of a makeshift structure and fleeing to nearby civilian settlements.

“Similar strikes by NAF platforms at terrorists’ locations in Gaude and Dutse Magaji had the same effects as remnants of the terrorists were observed to be scampering from the location.

“Feedback from locals as well as own deployment around Kusarsu revealed that at 67 corpses of terrorists have been counted during assessments.

The terrorists operating along Kusarsu axis orchestrated the attack on a train along the Kaduna-Abuja rail track on 20 October 2021.

There is also a strong indication that several terrorists may have been neutralized at Gaude and Dutsin Magaji after the airstrike. Of recent, these sustained attacks by NAF aircraft in conjunction with ground troops as well as other security agencies have continued to yield the expected outcome.

–Additional reports by PRNigeria