Nigeria airstrikes kill top terror commanders, 21 fighters
The air offensive was carried out under the command of Operation Hadin Kai, the codename for its operation against Boko Haram.
Nigeria’s military has confirmed killing of top commanders and 21 fighters of Islamic State for West African Province (Iswap) in the axis of Lake Chad.
The terrorists, including Buba Danfulani, a top commander of Iswap, were felled at the weekend in air strikes that targeted their camps near North East Borno State.
The air offensive, the military said, was carried out under the command of Operation Hadin Kai, the codename for its operation against Boko Haram.
“Malam Buba Danfulani was a senior ISWAP commander (Amir), saddled with indoctrinating Fulanis and herdsmen who joined ISWAP terrorists,” the military said in a statement.
“He also coordinated activities of the terrorists ranging from deployment of spies to tax collection. It is strongly believed that his demise is a huge blow to Iswap and will affect the strength of the economy and financial dynamics of Iswap.”
Military intelligence established the existence of terrorists’ training camps at Tumbun Kaiyowa and Tumbun Allura, and that the two locations were the most active for Iswap and Boko Haram activities.
The presence of the training and jihadist cells became more evident when the insurgents fired from the two locations, targeting Nigerian Army locations in Mallam Fatori.
Consequently, the air component of Operation Hadin Kai deployed some aircraft to the location to degrade the insurgents’ capabilities and prevent future attacks.
The fighter jets attacked the targets at Tumbun Kaiyowa with bombs, setting the camps on fire, according to the statement form the military. Another aircraft was redirected to attack Tumbun Allura with rockets and cannons.
The felling of Danfulani comes a week after the killing of other terrorist kingpins at Sambisa Forest in Borno State on February 11.
The military reported that Parisu and Njimia were the most active terrorists’ locations within forest.
“Using a mix of three different aircraft types, the two locations were attacked with bombs. While intelligence revealed that several terrorists were neutralised, recent information received has further identified five key terrorists’ leader that were also killed in the airstrike.
“They include Musa Amir Jaish, Mahd Maluma, Abu-Ubaida, Abu-Hamza and Abu-Nura umarun Leni,” the military said in the statement.
The statement was signed by the spokesman of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet.
