Air Force jet saves personnel from Boko Haram ambush, kills 15 fighters

The Air Component of OPERATION LAFIYA DOLE at the weekend foiled a plan by Boko Haram Terrorists to ambush forces harboured at Doron Naira, north of Borno State.

Group Captain Ayodele Famuyiwa, Director of Public Relations and Information, in a statement said a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) King Air A350i Beechcraft aircraft on Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) mission sighted “a group of terrorists in 7 Hilux vehicles, hiding under tress at a location along the axis of advance of own ground forces towards Kangarawa, north of Borno State.”

It noted that following the discovery, an Alpha Jet was scrambled to attack the Boko Haram location.

The statement added that: “The attack was successful as 15 members of the BHTs were killed and the whole vehicles knocked out.

“The casualty figure was confirmed by ground forces, who subsequently consolidated on the gains of the air effort to pursue and inflict further casualty on the fleeing wounded members of the terrorist group.

“Troops also confirmed that 2 gun trucks were among vehicles destroyed by the Alpha Jet as 2 x AK-47 rifles, 2 x RPGs and cache of assorted munitions were recovered.

“The latest victory against the BHTs brings to fore the important role of airpower in counter insurgency operation.

“In furtherance of this role, the NAF has been relentless in its effort to shape the battlespace and provide favourable environment for own surface forces to operate.”