Air force ‘kills many bandits’ in Kaduna 

Security operatives have reportedly killed some suspected bandits in a special operation at Kabarasha village in Chikun local government area of Kaduna state. 

In a statement on Sunday, Samuel Aruwan, the state commissioner for internal security and home affairs, said the incident happened on Thursday. 

He said a church was damaged as the troops were engaging the suspects.

While hailing the troops for “successfully neutralising bandits”, Aruwan said the government is carrying out an assessment on the damaged church so it could be repaired. 

“During operations against bandits in a nearby location last Thursday, munitions aimed at the criminals partly damaged an Assemblies of God Church building in Kabarasha Village in Chikun local government. No civilian casualty was recorded in the incident,” the statement read. 

 “The Governor of Kaduna state, Malam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai has directed the Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs to assess the situation and present a report so that the damage to the church can be repaired. The Commissioner and his team are engaging critical stakeholders on the matter and will soon report progress to the Governor.

“The combined military teams of Operation Thunder Strike, Operation Whirl Punch and Nigerian Air Force’s Operation Gama Aiki, comprising units from the Nigerian Air Force and Nigerian Army, are presently carrying out joint operations against armed bandits in Chikun, Igabi, Giwa and Birnin Gwari local government areas and other locations in the State.

 “The Nigerian Air Force in particular, using their platforms on Thursday and Friday, successfully neutralised many bandits in Chikun local government while working on other targets.

 “The Kaduna State Government expresses its appreciation to the Nigerian military for the successful operations and looks forward to the eradication of the bandits who pose a major threat to farmers in rural settlements all across the state.”

 The commissioner said the successes achieved by the military will help boost the confidence of farmers to till their land and avert the peril of food insecurity and impoverishment of citizens that the impunity of the bandits may unleash.

 He added that the state government has been briefed that many bandits have been neutralised during the operations, with several sustaining varying degrees of injuries.