On Sunday, August 25, the Nigerian Air Force, announced that its airstrikes neutralized terrorists in Zamfara State and destroyed Illegal refining sites in Rivers State

Edward Gabkwet, Air Vice Marshal, Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

“In response to the recent upsurge of terrorists’ activities targeting innocent civilians in Niger State, the Air Component of Operation Whirl Punch has continued in its efforts to track, locate and eliminate the terrorists responsible.

“Intelligence gathered had revealed that most of the terrorists responsible for recent attacks on civilians, abductions and cattle rustling within Shiroro Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger State were domicile in Kaduna State,” the statement said.

It said after the troops sited the terrorists in Malum forest in Kaduna, the Air Component planned and executed an Air Interdiction Mission on the terrorists’ stronghold.

“Battle damage assessment and feedback from local sources revealed several of the terrorists were eliminated as a result of the strike.”

It said similar strikes were also conducted on terrorists’ hideouts at Bayan Ruwa in Maradun LGA of Zamfara State.

“The terrorists were tracked to zinced-roofed structures in a vegetated area with few footpaths and a river line Northwest of the location.The targets were then acquired and engaged in successive passes.” It said

“In the Niger Delta Region, patrols conducted by the air component of Operation Delta Safe over Ohaji/Egbema in Imo State and Degema and Cawthorne Channel in Rivers State revealed several Illegal Refining Sites and overhead tanks which were effectively destroyed.

” In all, over 25 illegal sites were destroyed. In Greenville, Rivers State, a leaking pipeline was observed with the leakage spreading across over 150 metres radius with its attendant negative consequences on the vegetation, aquatic habitats and farmlands,” the statement added.