The Nigerian military says it’s troops of Operation Hadarin Daji in Northwest Nigeria, have destroyed two camps and a cave hideout belonging to bandits, killing “high-value” leaders including Hassan Tagwaye and several members of his gang in Doumbourou, Zamfara forest.
John Enenche, Coordinator, Defence Media Operations ( DMO) who disclosed this in a statement on Thursday night, said the operation was conducted through airstrikes which also led to the neutralisation of several bandits.
Earlier on Thursday, Enenche said the military is now changing its tide of operations across the country and vowed that it will rid the country of banditry, terrorism and other forms of criminality in line with president Muhammadu Buhari’s new directive.
The coordinator further said the operation was executed on 23 June 2020, under the newly launched Operation Wutan Daji, after series of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions.
“Consequently, the Air Component dispatched an enhanced force package of fighter jets and helicopter gunships to attack the location. At the first camp, some bandits, who had assembled for a meeting near one of the huts, were neutralized by the attack aircraft.
“At the second camp, a suspected high-value bandits’ leader along with some weapon-bearing fighters were seen in the vicinity of some huts. The attack aircraft engaged the target structures, scoring accurate hits and taking out the huts along with their occupants.
“The NAF jets also later recorded direct hits on the suspected bunker, from where some of the bandits were seen emerging, completely destroying it. Human Intelligence reports later confirmed that Hassan Tagwaye and his twin brother Hussain along with several other bandits were neutralized in the air strikes, while a few escaped with injuries”, he explained.
The Coordinator urged the people in the general area to as a matter of security concern report those with sudden and suspicious injuries to the security forces to ensure that the escapees are mopped up.
While commending the Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji for their professionalism, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, urged them to remain resolute in the conduct of air strikes whilst continuing to provide close air support for ongoing ground operations in order to eradicate all armed bandits.
