The Nigerian Air Force, NAF, has said that there was strong evidence that the terrorists responsible for the recent attacks on troops of the Nigerian Army at Bassa in Niger State have been eliminated by airstrikes.

This was disclosed in a statement by NAF spokesperson, Air Vice Marshal, Edward Gabkwet, on Sunday.

According to him, terrorists were also responsible for the multiple Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, incidents along the Pandogari-Alawa Road within the same local government area.

DAILY POST recalls that six among the troops of 1 Division Nigerian Army deployed to Erena and Allawa communities in Bassa ward of Shiroro local government were killed on April 19 during an ambush by terrorists.

Gabkwet said the airstrikes were carried out on Saturday, April 27 by the Air Component of Operation Whirl Punch, a military operation against bandits and terrorists in the North Central.

According to the NAF’s spokesperson the strikes were executed at the stronghold of a notorious terrorist kingpin, popularly known as Mallam Umar and several other commanders located in the Alawa forest area.

He said: “The strikes conducted were sequel to extensive Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance, ISR, operations in the targeted area, revealing clusters of huts within compounds amidst dense vegetation, with significant presence of armed terrorists loitering around the vicinity.

“Also, painstaking intelligence earlier gathered had confirmed that these same terrorists were responsible for the recent attacks on ground troops at Bassa Community as well as multiple Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, incidents along the Pandogari-Alawa Road within the same LGA.”

Airstrikes killed terrorists responsible for Niger ambush – NAF