Abuja, Sept. 30, 2024 (TheGavel) – The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has confirmed the destruction of a major terrorist logistics base in Yadi Forest, Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State, through a precision airstrike executed by the Air Component of Operation Whirl Punch (OPWP).
In a statement released on Monday by NAF’s Deputy Director of Public Relations and Information, Group Capt. Kabiru Ali, it was revealed that the airstrike followed credible intelligence pointing to the significant presence of terrorists and a weapons cache in the area.
According to Ali, intelligence reports and persistent surveillance confirmed the continuous presence of terrorists and their motorcycles at the Yadi Forest location, suggesting it was a critical logistics hub for their operations.
“Additional intelligence revealed that the logistics base belonged to notorious terrorist kingpin Kadade Gurgu, a close associate of Dogo Gide, a prominent leader of terrorist activities in the region,” the statement noted.
Ali explained that Kadade Gurgu had been providing safe haven to several terrorist leaders following intensified military operations targeting their strongholds in Sokoto and Zamfara States. The Nigerian military’s heightened actions in these areas had pushed the insurgents to relocate their assets to hideouts such as the Yadi Forest.
Following this discovery, the NAF dispatched a combat aircraft, accompanied by an Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform, to strike the target. The airstrike was executed with precision after ISR imagery showed that the area was initially devoid of human activity. However, as the aircraft approached, insurgents were seen attempting to flee from the site, emerging from dense shrubbery.
“Subsequently, the target was engaged, and the logistics facility was successfully hit. Flames and thick black smoke engulfed the area, confirming the destruction of the facility,” Ali reported.
Independent sources, including local informants, later corroborated that the airstrike completely obliterated the logistics base and resulted in the deaths of numerous terrorists.
The Nigerian Air Force, in collaboration with ground forces, reaffirmed its commitment to continuing operations aimed at decimating terrorist groups and eradicating criminal activities in the region.
“The NAF, alongside surface forces, will continue to dominate the battlespace through comprehensive situational awareness, constant patrols, and targeted interdictions of bandit safe havens within its area of responsibility and neighboring states,” Ali added.
This latest strike is part of ongoing efforts to eliminate terrorism and banditry in Nigeria’s Northwest and North Central regions, areas that have long been plagued by insurgency and criminal activities. (NAN)
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