The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has struck terrorists who attacked and killed six soldiers in Shiroro, Niger State and destroyed their hideouts.

This is just as airstrikes against economic saboteurs in the Niger Delta region destroyed 18 illegal refining sites and three loaded Cotonou boats.

A statement by NAF’s Director, Public Relations and Information, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet said the airstrikes were carried out on 27 April, 2024 by the Air Component of Operation Whirl Punch after intelligence revealed cluster of huts used by the terrorists.

AVM Gabkwet said the airstrikes were targeted at terrorists’ hideouts in Shiroro local government area (LGA) where he noted that the strikes were executed at the stronghold of notorious terrorist kingpin, Mallam Umar and several other commanders located in the Alawa Forest area.

Also, painstaking intelligence earlier gathered had confirmed that these same terrorists were responsible for the recent attacks on ground troops at Bassa Community as well as multiple Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) incidences along the Pandogari-Alawa Road within the same LGA,” he said.

The NAF spokesman added that the Air Component promptly deployed its air assets to decisively eliminate the terrorists, resulting in effective and maximum damage to the targets.

Gabkwet said similar airstrikes were launched the same day in the Niger Delta region against economic saboteurs and oil thieves bent on illegally siphoning crude oil from mutilated pipelines, while destroying the environment and ecosystems.

The team also struck a Cotonou boat fully loaded with crude oil product at Akaso Krakama while preparing to depart southwards.

He further added that the strikes at Krikama destroyed several cooking sites.

He emphasised that the airstrikes have substantially weakened the potency of terrorist elements in the North-West and oil thieves in the Niger Delta region to continually constitute a security threat to the well-being of the nation and its citizenry.