The Nigerian Air Force on Friday launched
the second phase of its counterinsurgency campaign in Northeast Nigeria by
deploying six special combat Jets that are geared towards wiping out the Boko
Haram insurgency in the region in a short time.
The six lethal aircrafts, comprising three
Alpha Jets and three MIF7 jets are to be used by a new combat group, tagged
‘Operation Gama-Aiki’
meaning ‘end the Job’ in Hausa.
“Operation Gama Aiki”, launched on Friday
in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, is a second phase of the NAF operation
in the ongoing counter terrorism war in the volatile Northeast.
Air Component Commander of the Flagship
Counterinsurgency; ‘Operation Lafiya Dole’, Peter Uzezi, said the new phase of
the onslaught would “flush out insurgents from the areas notorious as a major
stronghold of the outlawed group.”
He said the new operation followed a
successful outing in Sambisa forest under the aegis of “Operation Crackdown” in
collaboration with ground troops.
He said six fighter jets had been deployed
with specific instructions to the northern axis area.
“Three out of the six aircrafts are Alfa
jets, expected to patrol the Monguno axis and advance with ground troops
towards Alagarno where operations are ongoing.
“The other three are MIF7 jets heading
towards Diffa general area in Niger Republic enroute Baga local government to
effect logistic re-supply to troops operating in Baga and surrounding towns.
Mr. Uzezi urged the air fighters “to
sustain coordinated airstrikes and interdiction with ground troops as well as
the Multi National Joint Task Force.”
Despite the recorded successes of the
Nigeria military over the Boko Haram insurgents, the outlawed group continued
to carry out pockets of deadly attacks on soft targets especially in
communities not covered by the military.
On Thursday the insurgents attacked a
vulnerable group of mourners in a village in Adamawa State, killing at least 18
persons during a wake-keeping session.
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