Following air surveillance which confirmed that over 100 heavily armed Boko Haram/ ISWAP terrorists were seen around some structures in the Mandara mountains in Borno state, Nigerian Airforce air strikes on Friday eliminated the terrorists including a wanted Commander, Abu Asad.
Director of NAF Public Relations, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet who made this known said the air strikes also destroyed the terrorists’ structures as well as the entire troops carrier vehicles belonging to the the terrorists.
He said, “In what could be described as arguably one of the most successful strikes undertaken by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai, Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft, on 24 November 2023, carried out air strikes on a massing of terrorists in an isolated location consisting of 3 zinced structures amid several trees.
“From the footage, it was evident that the terrorists were massing up at the location for either a well-planned meeting or preparing for a major attack.
“Over 100 heavily armed terrorists were observed throwing banters and moving randomly around the structures which also had 4 troop carriers.
“The aftermath of the air strike revealed that 2 out of the 3 structures, as well as the entire troop carriers were destroyed.
“There are also indications that Abu Asad, a key figure in the Ali Ngulde group under Boko Haram, as well as other terrorists like Ibrahim Nakeeb, Mujaheed Dimtu, Mustafa Munzir and several fighters were among the several terrorists eliminated in the air strike.
“The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar has since commended the Air Component Commander and his men while urging them to continue to synergize with the Land Component as they maintain the momentum in, “keeping the terrorists on their toes.”
According to him, “We must continue to justify the trust and confidence the Federal Government and our people have bestowed on us by ensuring that we go all out in making life unbearable for these terrorists and criminals until they surrender or are completely eliminated.”
