The Land and Air Components of Operation THUNDER STRIKE have neutralized several armed bandits in a joint offensive operation to clear identified bandits’ camp around Kuku area of Kagarko Local Government Area along the Kaduna-Abuja Expressway axis of Kaduna State. In a signed statement by the Coordinator Defence Media Operations, Major General John Enenche made available to Channel Network Afrique, the operation was executed on the heels of credible Human Intelligence reports indicating that a cluster of huts and other structures at the location served as hideout for a notorious bandits’ leader, named “Major”, along with his fighters on 17 November 2020. He said the first wave of the Air Component’s air strikes, which involved 6 Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft undertaking 5 missions in a total of 13 sorties, commenced at dawn and targeted the cluster of huts housing “Major”. The attack aircraft hit some of the target structures and neutralized some of the bandits. According to Enenche, the second wave of attacks was executed by NAF helicopter gunships which while continuing to engage the bandits’ location, also provided close air support to the Land Component as they advanced from Kagarko via Kuku into the bandits’ enclave. This paved way for the ground troops to overrun and destroy the camp without effective resistance from the bandits. He added that a NAF Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft which remained airborne provided situational awareness for the troops throughout the operation. While Commending the Land and Air Components for their professionalism, the Military High Command urged them to remain resolute and keep up with the tempo in the conduct of operations in order to eradicate all the enemies of the Nation.
