The Air Component of Operation Thunder Strike, has neutralised several armed bandits along the Abuja-Kaduna Highway, according the Defence Headquarters.
Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.
Enenche noted that the operation followed intelligence reports indicating that a cluster of huts and other structures at the location served as hideout for a notorious bandits’ leader named ‘Major’ and his fighters.
The statement reads, “The first wave of the Air Component’s airstrikes, which involved six Nigerian Air Force aircraft undertaking five missions in a total of 13 sorties, commenced at dawn and targeted the cluster of huts housing ‘Major.’
OPERATION THUNDER STRIKE: Land and Air Components Clear Banditsâ Camp Along Kaduna-Abuja Expresswayhttps://t.co/o2p80OZtgA pic.twitter.com/hF34Qp8DNB
— DEFENCE HQ NIGERIA (@DefenceInfoNG) November 18, 2020
“The attack aircraft hit some of the target structures and neutralised some of the bandits.
“The second wave of attacks was executed by NAF helicopter gunships which, while continuing to engage the bandits’ location, also provided close air support to the land component as they advanced from Kagarko via Kuku into the bandits’ enclave.
“This paved the way for the ground troops to overrun and destroy the camp without effective resistance from the bandits.”
