The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has destroyed an Islamic State of West Africa Province (ISWAP) terrorists’ hideout in the Northern part of Borno State.
The NAF said it also neutralised some of the ISWAP fighters at Arrinna Ciki on the fringes of the Lake Chad in the same area.
The NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, disclosed this in a statement, yesterday, in Abuja.
He said the operation was conducted through the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Lafiya Dole.
“This was accomplished through air strikes conducted on November 1 and 2 sequel to intelligence reports indicating that the terrorists were using the settlement as a staging area to launch attacks against our forces.
“The airstrike on November 1 was initiated when a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform, on a confirmatory reconnaissance mission, spotted some ISWAP vehicles under some trees in the area.
“Accordingly, the ATF scrambled its fighter jets to attack the location, recording successful strikes to immobilise the vehicles.
“Similarly, a follow-up attack was executed on November 2 after significant activity was observed in another part of the settlement.
“This occasioned the detailing of attack aircraft to engage the identified areas resulting in the destruction of some terrorists’ structures as well as the neutralisation of some of their fighters,” he said.
Daramola said the NAF, operating in concert with surface forces, would sustain its efforts to completely destroy all remnants of the terrorists in the North-East.
However, the Army on Saturday disowned the Operation Positive Identification (OPI) allegedly being promoted by a group called Bricks Company.
The Army said it has nothing to do with that particular operation and is different from its (Army) own “ongoing operation positive identification which is intelligence driven, deliberate, targeted operation and not an independent operation but is integral and complimentary to Operation Lafiya Dole in the North-East.”
In a statement, yesterday, the Acting Director, Nigerian Army Public Relations, Col Sagir Musa, said, that the public should disregard the statement by Bricks Company on Operation Positive Identification.
“Similarly, Nigerian Army has never issued press release through private companies or third parties because it has a full-fledged directorate that coordinates its public relations and information aspects which has a robust cordial working relationship with the Press.
“Recall that in order to compliment the ongoing operation in the North-East, Nigerian Army has an ongoing operation positive identification which is intelligence driven, deliberate, targeted operation and not an independent operation but is integral and complimentary to Operation Lafiya Dole in the North-East. The aim of the operation is to arrest all those terrorists fleeing or escaping the war zone/Theatre of operation to a safe haven or peaceful areas in Nigeria.
“The Nigerian Army wishes to use this opportunity to enjoin all Nigerians to cooperate with the NA and indeed all other security agencies by giving credible information that will assist in the identification and eventual arrest of the fleeing criminals/terrorists in any part of our beloved country,” the Army said.