By Sumaila Ogbaje
A peace advocacy group, Nigerian Focus, has commended recent raids of bandits and oil thieves by the Nigeria Air Force (NAF), saying it was a significant step towards ending banditry and other crimes in the country.
Gbolahan Aguda, the group’s President, in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, hailed the new Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar for his inspiring leadership since assuming office, and displaying genuine efforts at inter-service collaboration.
According to him, apart from confronting oil thieves in the Niger Delta and forcing bandits in the North West to seek for peace, the NAF had neutralised several ISWAP terrorists in the North East.
He said that the terrorists were killed in series of airstrikes executed by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai on July 29, at Jibularam and Kwalaram in the North-East.
“Air strikes conducted by the air component of Operation Hadarin Daji in various locations in Zurmi, Tsafe, Faskari and Jibia Local Government Areas in Zamfara and Katsina States conducted from July 28 to 29, killed 16 insurgents.
“Over 22 terrorists loyal to the deceased notorious terrorists’ kingpin Alhaji Abdulkareen Lawal, aka Abdulkareen Boss, were on July 17, neutralised by air strikes conducted by the Air Component of Operation Hadarin Daji.
“The air trikes were conducted at Batsari and Sola Poi II in Batsari and Jibia Local Government Areas of Katsina State,” Aguda said.
He also said that NAF Special Forces on Sunday rescued seven kidnapped victims in Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State, adding that the renewed airstrikes on oil thieves was also a welcome development and would stop economic sabotage by criminals.
“We commend the CAS and the Air Component of Operation Delta Safe (OPDS) for the operations of Aug. 5 at about 4 Nautical Miles South-East of Bille, a riverine area located west of Bonny Island.
“This led to the destruction of three boats sighted tapping crude oil from a pipeline and illegal refining site with tanks and reservoirs loaded with suspected illegal refined products, about 4 miles South-east of Idama in Rivers.
“Nigerian Focus use this opportunity to commend the CAS for this sterling performance and his directive to air component commanders to team up with other security agencies as they sustain air strikes on all criminal elements in the country.” (NAN)
