The Nigerian Air Force (NAF ), said at the weekend that scores of Boko Haram Terrorists have been neutralized in the Sambisa general area with fighter aircrafts as the terrorists tried to interfere with ongoing operations with the ground troops.
A statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information of the NAF, Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya said NAF operations against the terrorists followed an Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform indicating the presence of the terrorists in the area.
AVM Adesanya said : “The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter aircraft, on 25 January 2018, successfully neutralized several Boko Haram Terrorists (BHTs), who were poised to interfere with ongoing operations in the Sambisa general area.
“A NAF Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform had sighted several BHTs on vehicles and gun trucks, which were carefully concealed in a forested area. Consequently, three NAF fighter aircraft were detailed to provide Close Air Support to own surface forces, which also engaged the insurgents.
“The fighter aircraft launched a bomb attack on the insurgents’ defensive positions while another wave of bomb attacks was launched at the insurgents’ gun trucks and vehicles, causing one them to go up in flames.
“Thereafter, one of the aircraft strafed a fleeing BHTs vehicle with rockets, destroying the gun truck in the process. The NAF aircraft’s mission destroyed not only the vehicles but also the workshop previously used by the insurgents to repair and retrofit their vehicles and equipment”.