By Emmanuel Obisue
Nigerian military has insisted that the air strikes carried out by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on terrorists in Mutunji village in the Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State, was professionally conducted and landed precisely on the intended targets.
Zamfara State Governor, Bello Mattawalle, had alleged that scores of residents and soldiers were killed during the bombardment recently conducted on hideouts of bandits in the state.
Debunking the claims, Major General Jimmy Akpor, Director, Defence Information, insisted that there was no such casualties on the part of civilians.
He said the operation was largely successful, and that a large number of terrorists were neutralized.
“The Nigerian military is always professional in its operations,” Major General Musa Danmadami, Director, Defence Media Operations stated, adding that investigations would however be carried out to ascertain if there was any “collateral damage”.
In another separate operation, the military informed that the air component of Operation Hadin Kai on December 11, conducted air interdiction operation at an identified Islamic State of West Africa Province enclave around Razah, a mountainous area in Gwoza Local Government Area of Borno State.
“The air strike was carried out following intelligence report that a top Islamic State of West Africa Province Commander and his foot soldiers were hibernating in the area. Following the air bombardment, feedback revealed that scores of the terrorists were neutralized with all their equipment and logistics caught up in an inferno.
“Same day, another successful air interdiction operation was conducted at Kundesana, a terrorists hideout in Mandara mountainous area of Borno State. The operation was caried out in response to intelligence of terrorists in the area and relocation of some high profiled commanders and their fighters following the initial air strike. Feedback revealed the neutralization of the terrorists commanders and their fighters as well as destruction their logistics facilities in the area,” the military added.
