A dreadful bandit leader operating in Zamfara and Katsina States axis has been killed by airstrikes from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets.
According to report the terrorist identified as Maliki Shrige was killed on Wednesday at the South Jaja community in Zurmi local government area of Zamfara State, Naija News understands.
Many of his fighters and other terrorists numbering about 45 were also eliminated in the NAF airstrike.
PR Nigeria, reported that Shrige is from the Niger Republic and is the arrowhead of the terrorist group launching attacks on bordering communities in the Zamfara and Katsina States
A military source familiar with the operation that resulted in his death was quoted to have disclosed that NAF launched the airstrike after obtaining actionable intelligence on the location and activities of the bandit leader and his people.
The source revealed that the military had been on the trail of the terrorists and their hideouts from where they launched attacks on innocent residents of close villages and towns as well as troops operating in the area.
After convincing intelligence reports on the location of the terrorists and proper investigation to ascertain the intelligence, the Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji launched an attack which successfully wiped out the insurgents.
“Consequently, surveillance aircraft were deployed to unravel the modus operandi of the depraved terrorists around the general area. Footages revealed significant terrorists’ activities were moving in and out of multiple huts with mounted solar panels.
“Furthermore, the footage showed armed terrorists moving on motorcycles along multiple tracks leading into the huts within the areas of interest.
“The footage corroborates valid Intel from locals and own deployments around the location that the huts are strategic points from where the miscreants launch most attacks on villages, communities and towns in ZAMFARA and KATSINA States.
“Accordingly, on the 13 July 2022, the Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji dispatched a formation of fighter jets armed with rockets and bombs in an Air Interdiction mission at intervals to eliminate and infuse maximum casualty on the terrorists as well as destroy their enclaves.
“After confirming the target location to be active with scores of terrorists and large herds of rustled cattle within the huts, the information was relayed to the fighter jets for the extermination of the targets.
Accordingly, the fighter jet armed with bombs was established overhead the target area and vectored to the target location. On arrival, scores of terrorists were spotted within the huts and multiple motorcycles are also seen moving into the huts. Consequently, the location was decisively engaged with bombs.
“Reports from the locals and own deployments at locations around SHIMFIDA substantiated that terrorist kingpin MALIKI SHRIGE and his cohorts suffered maximum casualties as about 45 terrorists were neutralised with their logistics demolished during the Air Interdiction,” the source said.
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