By SUMAILA OGBAJE

The Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE has neutralised scores of terrorists and destroyed their hideouts and logistics structures at Tumbuma Baba and Boboshe in Borno, the Defence Headquarters says.

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

Enenche said the air strikes were executed on Aug. 16, the first day of missions of a new subsidiary Operation codenamed “Hail Storm”.

He said the subsidiary operation was an air interdiction operation aimed at taking out identified terrorists’ targets in the Lake Chad and Sambisa Forest areas of Borno.

According to him, the attack at Tumbuma Baba, one of the Island settlements on the fringes of the Lake Chad, was carried out after Human Intelligence (HUMINT) reports revealed that several ISWAP fighters and some of their leaders were harboured in some structures concealed under the thick vegetation of the area.

“The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets dispatched by the ATF to attack the location scored devastating hits on the settlement, killing several of the terrorists and destroying their structures.

“Several terrorists were similarly neutralised and some of their dwellings destroyed at Boboshe, a village along the river line on the Eastern part of the Sambisa Forest, as the NAF jets took turns in engaging the location.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria, operating in concert with other security agencies and stakeholders, will sustain its efforts to rid the North East of all terrorists and other criminal elements,” he said.

In a related development, DHQ also says that troops of Operation Whirl Punch have eliminated an unspecified number of armed bandits in an encounter at Tashan Kare in Niger.

Maj.-Gen. Enenche, in a statement on Monday, said the success was in continuation of aggressive clearance operation to rid the North Central of criminal elements.

Enenche said that the troops acted based on credible intelligence on the attack by bandits.

According to him, troops swiftly mobilised to the scene and made contact with the bandits.

“The gallant troops engaged the armed bandits with superior fire power killing unspecified number, while others fled in disarray into the bushes.

“Sadly troops suffered three casualties, while two others were wounded in action.

“The Military High Command congratulates the gallant troops for their professionalism and encourages them to intensify the onslaught against the enemies of our country,” he said. (NAN)

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