Zamfara for a few weeks now, has witnessed some peace, as the Military after Presidential directives has intensified operations through the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Air Task Force (ATF) and the establishment of Operation DIRAN MIKIYA, which has continued to flush out armed bandits in the State, and only on Thursday 23 August 2018, they yet again successfully executed air strikes that neutralized over 30 bandits and destroying more bandits camps in Daji Bawar and Sunke Villages in Zamfara State.
According to the report released by the Director of Public Relations and Information of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, the strikes were planned on the heels of intelligence reports indicating that some bandits who had survived the intensive air assaults on their various hideouts at Shinkafi, Galadi, Ajia, Shamashalle and other areas of Zamfara State had relocated to Anka Local Government Area (LGA) of the State.
Air Commodore Ibikunle stating further, said the ATF embarked on intensive Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions to confirm the exact location of the new camps. Eventually, the criminal elements were observed to have pitched there tents at Daji Bawar and Sunke Villages in Zamfara.
“The ATF, therefore, launched coordinated air strikes on the camps in the two villages with a force package of 2 attack helicopters. Overhead the target area, several bandits armed with automatic weapons were seen at both locations. They were engaged leading to the destruction of the camps and their means of transport while scores of them were killed.”
Troops of Sector 3 Operation SHARAN DAJI later confirmed that over 30 armed bandits were neutralized while many others suffered injuries.
“The ATF will continue to dominate the area through armed reconnaissance and air interdiction missions to completely decimate the armed bandits in order to ensure a return to normalcy in Zamfara and other States in the Northwest.
“All persons involved in armed banditry in the area are therefore advised to renounce violence, surrender to security agencies and hand over their weapons.” He said.