Air Force, army dislodge Boko Haram terrorists in Sambisa

By Tobias Lengnan Dapam

The Nigerian Air Force said on 3 January, its Air Task Force of Operation Lafiya Dole and its Nigerian Army (NA) counterparts commenced combined clearance operations of discovered Boko Haram Terrorists (BHT) locations in the Sambisa general area and inflicted heavy casualty on the terrorists.
The Air Force in a statement issued yesterday by its Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya said “on the first day of the combined clearance operations, the Air Task Force conducted intensive bombardments on selected BHT locations, preparatory to the commencement of the operation. Previous Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions by Nigerian Air Force (NAF) platforms had revealed the presence of BHT in NJIMIA, in the SAmbisa general area, from where the insurgents launched attacks on own surface forces.
“Accordingly, NAF fighter aircraft were detailed to attack the location and each of the aircraft took turns to attack structures occupied by BHT elements in the settlement.”
He added that the air attacks set several BHT structures ablaze and destroyed them. “On the same day, the Air Task Force conducted air interdiction on another BHT hideout near CAMP ZAIRO. Previous ISR on the location had indicated the resurgence of BHT activities in the location, which had been previously liberated.
“Accordingly, structures occupied by BHT elements in the location were attacked, in succession, by NAF fighter aircraft. The air strikes caused the destruction of more BHT structures and the neutralization of several insurgents. Some insurgents were sighted fleeing the area and they were taken out in subsequent follow-up attacks.”