BENJAMIN SAMSON in this report examines the exploits of Nigerian Air force (NAF) personnel and its aircraft deployed in the counter insurgency/banditry operations across the county.
Nigeria is currently facing myriads of security challenges in different parts of the country. Prominent among these challenges are the Boko Haram /Islamic State of West Africa Province terrorists and bandits who have been terrorising innocent Nigerians and communities in the North-east, North-west and some parts of North-central.
Counter-insurgency campaigns
As part of efforts to tackle these security challenges, the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) in collaboration with other security agencies have through Operation HADIN KAI in the North-east zone and Operation HADARIN DAJI in the North-west zone engaged the criminals, leading to a large degree of successes. To a large extent, these successes were achieved through deployment of well trained Nigerian Air force (NAF) personnel and aerial bombardment of terrorists and bandit’s enclaves by the NAF aircraft.
Recent successes
Addressing journalists on the progress of the ongoing military campaign against insurgency in Abuja recently, Director Defence Media Operations (DDMO) Maj.-Gen Benard Onyeuko, disclosed that 21 Boko Haram terrorists were killed by Nigerian Air Force (NAF) air strikes in Lake Chad area of Borno state.
He said, “On 11 July 2022, the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI conducted air interdiction operations at Tumbum Jaki and Tumbum Murhu near Lake Chad in Borno state on the receipt of intelligent reports on the activities of the insurgents in the general area.
“The successful airstrike neutralized several Boko Haram terrorists and destroyed their hideout. Accordingly, information received from locals indicate that over 21 terrorists were neutralized in the airstrike.”
Also, at another press conference in Abuja earlier this month, General Onyeuko revealed that Air force fighter aircraft neutralized 82 terrorists at Kofar Danya Village in Bukkuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara state.
“The Air Component of Operation HADARIN DAJI carried out air interdiction on 22 June 22 at Kofar Danya Village in Bukkuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara state.
“Following report about the planned attack on Kofar Danya Village, the air component mobilized to the location and sighted over one Hundred and Fifty (150) terrorists converged under a thick vegetation. Accordingly, Nigerian Air Force platforms engaged the terrorists with heavy bombardment which destroyed the terrorists’ concentration camp.
“Consequently, credible feedback from the locals around Kofar Danya disclosed that over Eighty Two (82) of the terrorists suffered heavy casualties as many of them were neutralized while other sustained various degree of injuries,” he said.
Likewise, Blueprint gathered that airstrikes executed by the Air Component of Operation HADARIN DAJI on July 5, 2022 killed 42 terrorists near Zakka and Umadan villages in Safana local government area of Katsina State.
According to military sources, a NAF aircraft while on an air recce mission, received intelligence of the sighting of terrorists between Zakka and Umadan villages.
This is as the terrorists had earlier overwhelmed the police outpost at Zakka village after overrunning the police outstation at Dutsenma and shooting the Police Area Commander dead.
The terrorists had on the same day attacked an advance team of Presidential Convoy in the state.
A Senior Air force officer said the NAF aircraft thus proceeded to the location and after a thorough scan of the area, the terrorists were eventually detected at a village about 7.1km West of Safana town and further west of Yartuda village.
He added that some locals were also sighted fleeing the village as the terrorists had ransacked and taken some of the locals as hostages during their house-to-house search of the community.
“The terrorists were later tracked until they had isolated the hostages to a building about a kilometer away from their massing up area near the village. It was at this point that the permission for an air strike was given.
“Subsequently, the location was struck by NAF aircraft in successive passes with scores of unsuspecting terrorists eliminated.
“Fortunately, as had been anticipated, the hostages were later seen escaping after the successful Air Interdiction by the NAF aircraft. The aftermath of the airstrike was that some of the villagers who had dispersed when the terrorists first invaded the village were seen returning. The villagers also confirmed that over 24 terrorists were eliminated in the carefully planned and coordinated air strikes,” the source said.
He added that a similar success was also recorded elsewhere in the same local government area as intelligence reports received in the evening of July 5, 2022 had revealed that some terrorists with herds of cattle were observed dispersed in Abdulkareem Camp near Mahuta village in Safana local government area of the state.
“Consequently, a NAF aircraft was dispatched to the general area where it remained overhead the Area of Interest until the early hours of July 6, 2022 when the first human was sighted.
“After sighting about 18 terrorists amassing within the location, the aircraft engaged the targets. The fall of shot was observed within the compound and the impact radius of the blast was effective on other terrorists hiding in the compound.
“Feedback received has indicated that the strikes were precise and successful,” he stated.
Relative peace in Niger, Kaduna, Zamfara
Similarly, the Director, NAF Public Relations and Information (DOPRI), Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet attributed the relative Peace in several parts of the North-west including states like Niger, Kaduna and Zamfara to enhanced synergy among the military and proactive offensive operations targeted at clearing identified hideouts of bandits and terrorists making life unbearable for Nigerians.
He stated this during a press briefing to mark NAF 58th Anniversary in Abuja recently.
“Nigerians must have experienced peace returning to parts of the North-west, to states like Niger, Kaduna, Zamfara and others. This is due to the efforts of the NAF and other security agencies in jointly ensuring that these criminal elements don’t enjoy freedom of space and action”, the DOPRI said.
Leadership
Significantly, these successes can be attributed to the visionary and purposeful leadership of the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) Air Marshal Isiaka Oladayo Amao.
Since his appointment as the 21st CAS by President Muhammadu Buhari on January 26, 2021, Air Marshal Amao has left no stone unturned in ensuring that the NAF optimally performs its constitutional role. He has vigorously pursued his vision and command philosophy for the NAF which is, “To enhance and sustain critical airpower capabilities required for joint force employment in pursuit of national security imperatives”.
Platforms
Likewise, speaking at the 2022 NAF Day anniversary celebration at the NAF Base, Kano, Air Marshal Amao noted that since assuming office, President Buhari has fully supported the Armed Forces of Nigeria in general and indeed the NAF in particular to enable them achieve their set objectives.
He commended the federal government for committing substantial national resources to enhance the overall capabilities of the Armed Forces in a bid to address the security challenges in various parts of the country.
This, he said, has not only succeeded in ameliorating equipment constraints experienced in previous years and the attendant implications of such constraints, but it has also spurred NAF personnel to be more committed to the decimation of subversive elements, who seek to undermine the peace, progress, unity and faith of Nigeria.
It is worthy to note that the Buhari-led administration has acquired many new platforms for the NAF while reactivating existing ones. The NAF has witnessed a tremendous boost to its aircraft holdings across various fleets.
In addition to the previously acquired platforms, the NAF has in 2021 alone, taken delivery of 15 brand new aircraft and Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAV) and have sustained reactivation of hitherto unserviceable platforms to upscale its capabilities in tackling all forms of criminality.
The latest additions are three JF-17 Thunder multi-role fighter aircraft and 12 A-29 Super Tucano aircraft recently inducted into the NAF Order of Battle and are presently deployed in various theatres of operation across the country to add impetus to the ongoing war against insurgency, armed banditry and other forms of criminality in the country.
Human capital
Similarly, in pursuit of the second key driver of his vision, which is to pursue purposeful training and human capacity development and in a bid to raise the competence level of personnel so as to contain insurgency and other security challenges in the country, Air Marshal Amao has ensured that the NAF personnel receive best trainings both at home and abroad.
Speaking earlier this year when NAF winged five new pilots after undergoing requisite courses, Air Marshal Amao, said the ceremony highlighted the determination of his leadership to sustain critical airpower capability required for joint force employment in pursuit of national security imperatives.
“ Ninety-nine officers and 24 airmen and airwomen are undergoing various training across various specialties in various countries including the USA, UK, South Africa, India, France Egypt and Pakistan among others.
“In addition 2,656 Nigerian Air Force personnel across all specialties are being trained to deliver airpower in light of NAF’s involvement in theatres of operations across the country.
“Undoubtedly, the Nigerian Air Force is poised to maintain combat readiness at a significantly higher level to counter both domestic and foreign threats to Nigeria security and well being,” he said.
