The Nigerian Air Force says it has launched another round of “devastating airstrikes against Boko Haram and inflicted heavy casualties on the dreaded terrorist group
This was contained in a statement issued on Saturday by the NAF spokesperson, Ibikunle Daramola, an Air Commodore, who said the insurgents were fleeing from air bombardments by the Niger and Chadian Air Force when they “met their Waterloo with the Nigerian Air Force”.
“The Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation LAFIYA DOLE has inflicted heavy casualties on Islamic State of West Africa (ISWAP) elements in devastating air strikes conducted at Tumbun Hamma on the fringes of Lake Chad yesterday, 24 May 2019,” the statement read.
“The attack was conducted following credible intelligence reports indicating that the terrorists, who had fled the series of air strikes conducted by Nigerian, Nigerien and Chadian Air Forces, around the Malkanori-Tumbun Rego general axis of northern Borno State, had converged in Tumbun Hamma.
“The attack was preceded by series of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions which confirmed heavy presence of terrorists in several structures, along with their logistics items, spread across the small settlement.
“Accordingly, the ATF scrambled an Alpha Jet aircraft to attack the location, recording a successful direct hit in the centre of the target area leading to the neutralization of several terrorists as well as the destruction of their structures and logistics.
“The NAF, operating in concert with surface forces, will sustain its operations to completely degrade the terrorists in the Northeast.”
The Nigerian military has maintained that Boko Haram has been technically defeated, however, reports show that while the insurgents no longer control territories like they did in the past, they are still very active and carry out regular attacks against military and civilian objectives in the North East region of the country which has remained their stronghold.
One soldier was reportedly killed while three others were injured when a Boko Haram attacked a military base in Gubio, Borno State on Sunday, May 19.