Linus Aleke, Abuja
The latest airstrikes by the Air Component of Operation Whirl Punch, at identified terrorist hideouts in Alhaji Ganai location, Buhari New location, and Dogon Maikaji all in Giwa Local Government Area (LGA), have led to the killing of seven high-profile commanders of Boko Haram and Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP), terrorists, operating in Northeast.

ThisNigeria gathered that other terrorist kingpins, who were deleted in other bombarded enclaves include Noti, Bala, Yunusa, and Burti who was a well-known associate of another sought-after terrorist, Haladu Buharin Yadi.

A military source told our correspondent that the strikes became necessary, following credible intelligence from reliable sources on heightened terrorist activities in the general area.

The strikes, the source revealed, were authourized on 1 December 2022, adding that after the successful strikes, it was confirmed that seven key terrorist kingpins including Jibrin Gurgu, Isah Jauro, and Tambuwal from Zamfara State, were killed in the air raid.

ThisNigeria further gathered that follow-up air interdiction missions were carried out against terrorist enclaves in Tsofa and Riyawa in Igabi and Birnin Gwari LGA in Kaduna State.

Sources close to the theatre disclosed that feedback received,  revealed that terrorists suffered heavy casualties from the intense air bombardment of the terrorist enclaves in the northeast.

The Kaduna State Commissioner of Internal Security, Hon. Sam Aruwan, who confirm the successful air operations, in a statement, said, the military air strikes identified and dislodged eight terrorist camps while freeing 10 kidnapped victims in the process.

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When contacted, the Spokesperson of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, confirmed the strikes.

He, however, applauded Nigerians for their support to the NAF and the other security agencies which, he noted was instrumental to the successes recorded so far.

He assured that the NAF under Air Marshal Oladayo Amao will continue to provide all the air components in the various theatres, the needed platforms, and arsenals to enable them to curtail the enemy’s freedom of movement alongside other security agencies while bringing them to their knees.

He said, “The return of Internally Displaced Persons to their ancestral homes and the surrendering of over 10,000 terrorists and members of their families especially in the last three months in Borno State as well as the ability of Nigerians to freely travel on the Kaduna -Abuja Road and other hitherto dangerous routes are some of the signs that the efforts of the security agencies are indeed yielding some positive outcomes”.

He concluded that the NAF and other agencies are not carried away by these successes but will continue to forge ahead until the objective set by higher authority is achieved