Scores of armed bandits have been neutralised and their weapons destroyed in air strikes executed by the Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji in Zamfara State.

The Coordinator of Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

He noted that the operations were conducted on Saturday at two separate bandits’ camps in Tsibiri and Manya in Zurmi Local Government Area (LGA) of the state, as part of offensive operations to rid the North West and North Central of banditry.

The statement read, “The air interdiction mission at Tsibiri, which is located 15km East of Zurmi, was executed on the heels of credible Human Intelligence (HUMINT) reports indicating that the camp, with its clusters of thatched huts nestled close to a group of trees, was being used by the bandits to house their fighters and store their weapons and ammunition.

“Accordingly, two Nigerian Air Force attack helicopters were dispatched to engage the location scoring accurate hits on the target area, leading to the destruction of the structures and the weapons and ammunition stored in them as well as the neutralisation of bandits in the huts and surrounding bushes.”

Enenche explained that the attack helicopters later conducted an air strike on another camp South of Manya where bandits had gathered for a meeting, which also resulted in the killing of more bandits and some of their leaders.

According to him, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has commended the Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji for their professionalism.

Abubakar also directed them to remain resolute and continue to provide close air support for ongoing ground operations, towards accomplishing the directives of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) to restore normalcy in the North West and North Central zones of the country.