Air Force bombs conclave of Boko Haram members

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says the Air Task Force (ATF) of Operation Lafiya Dole has neutralised some Boko Haram terrorists at Tumbun Alpha in northern Borno as they gathered for a meeting.

NAF’s Spokesman, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, who disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja, said the operation was conducted on Friday.

He said Tumbun Alpha is a small settlement, about 4km West of Tumbun Allura, on the fringes of Lake Chad in the Northern part of Borno.

Daramola explained that the air strikes were conducted on the heels of credible intelligence reports that some Boko Haram leaders and members had assembled for a meeting under a group of trees near a prominent makeshift structure within the settlement.

“A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) platform dispatched for Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) confirmed the presence of several ISWAP fighters within the vicinity of the target.

READ: Osinbajo attends 25th commemoration of Rwandan genocide in Kigali

“Accordingly, the ATF scrambled a NAF Alpha Jet to attack the location.

“The bombs from the aircraft recorded hits on the target area resulting in significant damage to surrounding structures with a large fire observed and several of the terrorists neutralised,” he said.

The spokesman said the NAF, operating in concert with surface forces, would sustain its operations against the terrorists in the North East.