The Nigerian Air Force reported on Thursday that it has killed dozens of suspected terrorists who were hibernating at Alawa Forest in the Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State due to aerial attacks.
The air component of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, a military offensive designed to drive terrorists from the country’s northwest and north central areas, carried out the airstrikes, according to the statement.
According to a statement from Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Olusola Akinboyewa, Director of Information and Public Relations (DOPRI), the mission also destroyed the terrorists’ forest logistical base.
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This action, which took place on January 21, 2025, was supported by reliable intelligence and subsequent aircraft surveillance activities that confirmed the presence of armed terrorists in the forest.
Numerous acts of violence, including two IED attacks in Bassa, Shiroro LGA, on December 19, 2024, which killed multiple innocent people, were connected to these perpetrators.
To counter this, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) conducted a three-day airstrike, code-named KONAN DAJI, to weaken the militants’ capabilities and make the forest uninhabitable.
Consequently, a group of fighter planes was sent by AC OPFY to conduct air interdiction operations in the region. Upon arrival, the planes immediately launched precision strikes against the targets they had targeted, eliminating their supply hub and many armed fighters, as evidenced by several secondary explosions.
“The NAF, working closely with ground troops, is steadfast in its will to uphold operational supremacy throughout the region. In order to guarantee long-term peace and security for communities in Niger State and beyond, persistent efforts are being made to eradicate all criminal elements from Alawa Forest and the adjacent territories,” he stated.
