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The Nigeria Air Force (NAF) Wednesday said it had intensified the bombardment of hideouts and camps of the outlawed Boko Haram sect in Borno State, which had led many of the sect’s members fleeing to neighbouring Chad, Niger Republic and Cameroun.
The Air Force, in a statement by its 79 Composite Group with headquarters in Maiduguri, said in the last few days, it had regrouped and recovered from the December 2, 2013 attack on its base to effectively deal with the insurgents.
The statement signed by the group’s Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the 79 Composite Group, Squadron Leader Chris Erondu, stated that it had “reintensified its efforts in the fight against Boko Haram terrorists in the North-east, as it’s air operations has resulted to heavy casualty on the side of the insurgents residing in their camps around the Sambisa forest.â€
Erondu said: “Unperturbed by the incessant threats by the Boko Haram terrorists in the North-east, especially the insurgents recent attacks and sacking of many communities in Borno State, the NAF is increasingly committed in the current fight against terrorism not only in the state, but the country in general.â€
Accordingly, he added that, in line with NAF task to restore normalcy in the city of Maiduguri, the 79 Composite Group had in the couple of weeks been providing air supports to other sister security operatives of the ‘Operation Zaman Lafiya’ in Maiduguri metropolis and its environs.
Consequently, the NAF spokesman pointed out that based on intelligence reports on the excesses of the insurgents, the group in conjunction with the 75 Strike Group NAF, Yola, Adamawa State deployed air platforms, which carried out air surveillance, interdiction and raid operations on identified Boko Haram hideouts located at Bullabulin, Yujiwa, Alagarno, Damboa axis of the state.
He noted that the results of these air operations have been remarkable as the insurgents, who have resorted to retreating to neighbouring countries, such as Cameroun, Chad and Niger Republic have suffered heavy casualties, after destroying their camps in the Sambisa forest.
He stressed that consequent upon these efforts, law and order have returned to Maiduguri, as men of the Joint military Task Force (JTF) ‘Operation Zaman Lafiya’ and other security agencies have maintained constant security watch of Maiduguri metropolis and its environs with residents going about their normal business activities.