Nigerian Airforce Eliminates 23 Bandits In Zamfara Airstrike

• Nigerian Airforce airstrike kills 23 bandits in Zamfara State.
• Bandits were tracked while escaping with stolen livestock.
• Troops recovered a large number of rustled cattle.

The Nigerian Airforce (NAF) has neutralized at least 23 bandits in a fresh airstrike carried out in Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State over the weekend.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that reports indicate that the bandits were suspected to be relatives of a notorious kingpin, Ado Aleiro. The operation targeted a large group of armed criminals attempting to rustle cattle from nearby communities.

According to counter-insurgency expert Zagazola Makama, the bandits had successfully stolen livestock and were making their escape when they encountered resistance from local security forces. The troops, acting on credible intelligence, tracked the rustlers and waited until they reached a mountainous area before launching an offensive.

“Once their location was confirmed, the Nigerian Air Force deployed air assets to engage the fleeing bandits. Eyewitnesses confirmed that several bandits were eliminated in the operation, though the exact number is yet to be determined,” the report stated.

A security source quoted in the report disclosed that at least 23 bandits were killed, while several others sustained injuries.

Following the airstrike, troops of Operation Hadarin Daji reportedly recovered a large number of rustled cattle. The military operation is part of ongoing efforts to dismantle terrorist strongholds and disrupt cattle rustling, a major source of funding for bandit groups operating in Zamfara and neighboring states.

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