30th January, 2024
By Kazeem Ugbodaga
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says 30 terrorists have been eliminated in air strikes in Birnin Gwari area of Kaduna, Northwest Nigeria.
This is contained in a statement issued by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet on Monday.
Gabkwet said in its relentless campaign to rid the North-West and North Central region of Nigeria of the menace of terrorism and kidnapping, the air component of Operation Whirl Punch eliminated a syndicate of terrorists in Kaduna State.
He said the strike followed an intelligence report of the movement of the syndicate along the Kwiga-Kampamin Doka axis in the Birnin Gwari LGA of Kaduna State.
Gabkwet stated that the intel also revealed that the same syndicate was responsible for the ambush on troops at Kwanan Mutuwa on January 27, 2024, as well as several attacks and abduction of innocent civilians in Birnin Gwari.
He added that on arrival at the suspected location, a deliberate and detailed scan revealed a trail of terrorists sighted moving in a convoy of about 15 motorcycles, each with at least two armed terrorists.
Gabkwet said the terrorists were trailed to a location where they converged before they were engaged and neutralised in a precision strike.
He said the aftermath of the air strike revealed that several of the terrorists were eliminated as a result of the strike.