The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has killed more than 400 armed bandits in a major coordinated air and ground operation on Makakkari Forest in Zamfara State.
The offensive, carried out on Sunday under Operation FASAN YAMMA, was targeted at one of the most notorious bandit enclaves in the region, whose fighters were reportedly mobilising to attack a farming community.
According to NAF, the operation was launched after Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions confirmed the mass movement of the armed group.
“Acting swiftly on the intelligence, precision airstrikes were deployed to hit the bandits’ positions, while ground forces advanced to cut off escape routes and engage fleeing fighters.
“The strike resulted in the elimination of several notorious bandit kingpins and hundreds of their foot soldiers”, NAF stated.
NAF described the mission as a model example of joint-force synergy, with the seamless coordination between air and land components overwhelming the criminals before they could carry out their planned assault.
Ehimen Ejodame, Director of Public Relations and Information at NAF Headquarters, in a statement, noted that the success of the mission underscored the value of intelligence-led warfare in dismantling criminal networks in the North-West.
The Force praised the collaboration between air and ground troops, stressing that such integrated operations were vital for neutralising entrenched bandit camps and safeguarding rural communities.
