A total of 50 bandits have been killed in a combined ground and air assault by security forces in the Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The state’s commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, disclosed this in a statement.
A government official had earlier said security forces killed at least 10 bandits at Kwanan Bataru, on the outskirts of Fatika in Giwa local government area of the state.
Both Giwa and Birnin Gwari are among council areas in Kaduna in the frontline of banditry.
Aruwan’s statement read in part, “In an inspiring success for the security forces, over 50 bandits have been neutralised during a combined ground and air assault in the Saulawa-Farin Ruwa axis of Birnin Gwari LGA.
“According to operational feedback to the Kaduna State Government from the Command of the Joint Operations, a Nigerian Air Force helicopter gunship provided close air support to ground troops advancing from the Dogon Dawa-Damari-Saulawa axis.
“Following extensive scans, bandits were spotted on five motorcycles, about 4km east of Saulawa, waiting to ambush the ground forces. They were engaged vigorously by the helicopter gunship, and were wiped out.
“After this, armed bandits on about 50 motorcycles were sighted fleeing towards Farin Ruwa, and were struck effectively by the gunship. Fleeing remnants were mopped up by ground forces.
“A second helicopter gunship joined the operations, and many more fleeing bandits were neutralised by precise strikes. Assessment revealed that more than 50 bandits were neutralised during the joint operation.
“Governor Nasir El-Rufai expressed his satisfaction at the operational feedback, and congratulated the ground troops and gunship crews on the rout. He urged them to sustain the momentum and bring even more bandits to their bitter end.”