The air component of Operation Whirl Punch has successfully carried out airstrikes against the stronghold of notorious terrorist leader Mallam Umar and other commanders in the Alawa Forest area in Shiroro LGA of Niger State.

The airstrikes were also launched against economic saboteurs in the Niger Delta region, yielding positive results.

“Also, painstaking intelligence earlier gathered had confirmed that these same terrorists were responsible for the recent attacks on ground troops at Bassa Community as well as multiple Improvised Explosive Devices incidents along the Pandogari-Alawa Road within the same LGA.”

“Accordingly, the Air Component promptly deployed its air assets to decisively eliminate the terrorists, resulting in effective and maximum damage to the targets.

“A post-strike Battle Damage Assessment later confirmed the neutralisation of several of the terrorists and the destruction of their hideouts, with positive consequences on their ability to attack surface forces as well as innocent civilians within the area,” he added.

Also, Gabkwet noted that strikes targeted economic saboteurs in the Niger Delta region, destroying illegal refining sites and boats engaged in crude oil theft.

“Similar air strikes were also carried out the same day in the Niger Delta region against economic saboteurs and oil thieves bent on illegally siphoning crude oil from mutilated pipelines while destroying the environment and ecosystems.

“A Cotonou boat fully loaded with crude oil product was also observed at Akaso Krakama about to depart southwards and was subsequently attacked and destroyed. At Krikama, several cooking sites were observed and destroyed as well. In all 18 illegal refining sites and three Cotonou boats were destroyed,” the NAF spokesperson added.