‘Operation Thunder Strike’ Clears Bandits Locations In Kaduna, Kills Scores At Yadi

Air and Land Components of ‘Operation Thunder Strike’ have neutralized scores of armed bandits in a joint offensive operation to clear identified bandits’ camps in the Yadi and Kufai Shantu areas of Giwa Local Government Area (LGA), Kaduna State.

The operation was executed on 24 October 2020 on the heels of credible Human Intelligence reports as well as series of aerial surveillance missions that led to the identification of the hideouts of a notorious bandits’ leader and his fighters, defence headquarters said

In a statement issued in Abuja by the Coordinator , Defence media operations, Major General John Enenche, explained that the first wave of the Air Component’s air strikes, which involved 7 Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircrafts undertaking 12 missions in a total of 23 sorties, commenced at dawn and targeted a cluster of huts housing notorious armed bandits’ leader, named Buhari Halilu.

General Enenche said the attack aircraft destroyed some of the target structures and neutralized several bandits, adding that the second wave of attacks, which targeted the bandits’ hideout at Kufai Shantu, was aimed at incapacitating the bandits at the location to reduce resistance to the ground troops advance towards Yadi.

According to him, “Following the Air Component’s fixing efforts at Kufai Shantu, the Land Component, supported by an attack helicopter, successfully assaulted Halilu’s hideout at Yadi, clearing 2 of 3 objectives.

He stated further that the ground troops subsequently fought through fierce resistance from bandits hiding under the foliage at the third objective and eventually overpowered the criminals, eliminating several of them,while the Air Component provided effective support to the ground troops during all phases of the operation.

However, the military high command has commended the Air and Land Components for their professionalism and urged them to remain resolute in the conduct of operations in order to eradicate all armed bandits.

Furthermore, the Armed Forces of Nigeria has expressed appreciation to Nigerians for the continued support which has further gingered the tempo of operations to defeat all enemies of the Nation.
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