Police
The police on Wednesday said it killed at least 250 bandits terrorizing people of Kaduna state inside Kaduna forest.
The onslaught was led by Special Operatives of Operation Puff Adder
of the police. They were supported by the special forces of the police
Air Wing.
The bandits retaliated by firing shots using sophisticated
anti-aircraft riffles and General Purpose Machine Gun (GPMG) at the
police helicopter which was providing aerial and intelligence cover to
the special forces.
The police said no fewer than 250 bandits and terrorists were
killed. The pilot and co-pilot of the helicopter sustained injuries.
But there was no independent confirmation of the casualty figure.
Recounting the battle on Wednesday, Police spokesman Frank Mba, a
deputy commissioner, said the daring offensive operation successfully
neutralised over 250 high-profile members of the Ansaru Terror Group.
He added: “The operation which commenced in the early hours of
today, 5th February, 2020, was carried out by a combined team of
operatives of Operation Puff Adder made up of the Police Mobile Force
(PMF), Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Special Forces, Intelligence
Response Team (IRT), Special Tactical Squad (STS) and Special
Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). The operation was necessitated by actionable
intelligence linking terror and criminal elements in the super camp to
series of terror-related violence, kidnappings, gun-running, cattle
rustling and other heinous crimes across the country.
”Unfortunately, during the operation, a Police Bell helicopter,
which provided aerial and intelligence cover for the ground troops,
came under attack from the bandits, using sophisticated anti-aircraft
rifles and GPMG. Commendably, the pilot and the co-pilot, who
demonstrated uncommon courage and expertise, successfully landed the
aircraft at the Air Force Base, Kaduna without further incident.
“They were thereafter evacuated for medical treatment. Both
officers who sustained non-life threatening injuries are currently
receiving treatment and are in stable condition.
The Police helicopter has since been flown out of the Kaduna Air Force Base by Police Pilots en-route to Abuja.
”The Inspector General of Police assures citizens of safety and
sustained intelligence-led operations against bandits across the length
and breadth of the nation. He has equally applauded the unparalleled
bravery, commitment and dedication of the Police operatives currently
conducting the special mission,” the statement read.
Also on Wednesday, on another front, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF),
through the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Lafiya Dole, launched
Operation Rattle Snake Iii against terrorists’ elements in the
Northeast, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information Air
Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, said yesterday.
The spokesman said the Air Interdiction Operation, which commenced
on Tuesday, would target selected locations within the Northeast to
further degrade the remnants of the terrorists as well as deny them
freedom of action.
He explained: “On Day One of the Operation, air strikes by NAF
attack aircraft resulted in the destruction of an Islamic State of West
Africa Province (ISWAP) hideout as well as the neutralisation of some of
their fighters at Tongule in the Lake Chad area of Northern Borno.
“ The air strikes were executed following series of
Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions, indicating
that ISWAP fighters were harboured in some buildings at the southern
edge of the settlement.
“Accordingly, the ATF dispatched its fighter jets to engage the
location, scoring accurate hits on the designated target leading to the
destruction of the structures and the neutralisation of some of the
terrorists,” he said.
He said the Air Force, operating in concert with surface forces,
would sustain its air campaign to shape the battle space in the North
East for the effective conduct of further ground and air operations.