Thirty terrorists riding motorcycles in the Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State have been killed by the air component of Operation Whirl Punch.
This came after 35 abduction victims were freed on Sunday by security personnel in Katsina State from the Dumburu jungle.
After learning of the terrorists’ movements in the region through an intelligence report, the airstrikes over Kaduna were launched.
A statement on Monday by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet, said the eliminated terrorists were responsible for the ambush of troops at Kwanan Mutuwa recently as well as several attacks and abduction of innocent civilians in the LGA.
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 has eliminated a syndicate of terrorists in Kaduna State.
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.
“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 when the troops arrived at the location, two armed terrorists were sighted on 15 motorcycles.
Gabkwet noted that a precision strike was conducted which eliminated them.
He said, “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.
“Accordingly, the terrorists were trailed to a location where they converged before they were engaged and neutralised in a precision strike. The aftermath of the air strike revealed that several of the terrorists were eliminated as a result of the strike.”
The Birin Gwari area of Kaduna is one of the areas ravaged by insecurity, with bandits killing and abducting residents.
Meanwhile, security operatives in Katsina on Sunday afternoon rescued 35 kidnap victims inside Dumburu forest.
Bandits recently kidnapped the victims from Tashar Nagulle and Nahuta communities in the Batsari Local Government Area of the state.
The 35 victims were brought to the Government House, Katsina on Monday where Governor Dikko Radda met and congratulated them.
A statement on Monday by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Mohammed, said the governor gave each of the victims N100,000 in financial support to start off any business of their choice.
According to the statement, the victims were rescued on Sunday afternoon at Dumburum forest after a fierce gun battle between troops and the bandits.
“Many bandits were being killed, their camps were destroyed and a lot of weapons were recovered through the joint efforts of security operatives in the state,” the statement added.
