In a resolute display of its commitment to national security, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) recently executed effective air strikes against terrorists and oil thieves in separate operations across the country. The successful missions underscored the NAF’s unwavering dedication to maintaining peace and security within Nigeria.
Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, the Director of Public Relations and Information for the NAF, revealed that the operations were conducted by the air component of Operation Delta Safe (OPDS) and Operation Hadin Kai. In a statement released in Abuja on Sunday, Gabkwet noted that these endeavors were pivotal in quelling the activities of various criminal elements striving to disrupt the nation’s tranquility.
In a significant development, the air component of OPDS embarked on air interdiction missions that targeted illegal refining sites situated at Cawthorne Channels, Bille, and Gogokori in the Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State. These illegal refining sites, recognized as hotbeds of criminal activity, were engaged and subsequently razed to the ground. The air strikes also targeted a Cotonou boat loaded with illicitly refined products, obliterating it near Gogokori.
The NAF’s resolute action extended to other locations, including Idama in the Akuku‐Toru Local Government Area and Omoma in the Degema Local Government Area of Rivers State. Following intelligence indicating refining activities in these areas, the NAF’s air strikes neutralized active illegal refining sites and destroyed reservoirs believed to contain illegally refined products. Notably, the air component’s operations extended to dismantling militants’ and pirates’ camps in Bakassi Local Government Area and Calabar South Local Government Area in Cross River State, leading to the disruption of their criminal activities.
Further exemplifying their commitment to national security, the NAF executed a strategic operation against terrorists in the Northeastern region. On August 25, a persistent terrorists’ hideout in the Mandara mountains, known as Chinene, was once again targeted. This stronghold, which had been struck before, was hit once more to eliminate the terrorists gathering there. Numerous terrorists were neutralized, and others were compelled to flee the area, signifying a significant blow to their operations.
Gabkwet highlighted that these decisive actions were undertaken after careful reconnaissance and confirmation of the locations infested with criminals. The NAF’s precision strikes disrupted their activities and thwarted their escape routes. The NAF’s operations also extended to suspected kidnappers’ camps, leading to the rescue of kidnapped victims who managed to escape in the ensuing chaos.
These recent triumphs reaffirm the NAF’s role in denying non-state actors the liberty to propagate their unlawful actions unchecked. As the NAF and other security agencies continue to focus on their respective mandates, Gabkwet emphasized the imperative for all Nigerians to collaborate by providing actionable information to security agencies. Such collaboration is essential in fortifying the nation’s defenses and ensuring the collective safety and well-being of its citizens.
