Air strikes carried out on Saturday by the Air Component of Operation Whirl Punch targeted at terrorists’ hideouts in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State and against economic saboteurs in the Niger Delta region have yielded significant results.
In a statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet, in Shiroro LGA, he disclosed that the strikes were executed at the stronghold of notorious terrorist kingpin, Mallam Umar and several other commanders located in the Alawa Forest area.
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The statement added that similar air strikes were also carried out the same day in the Niger Delta region against economic saboteurs and oil thieves bent on illegally siphoning crude oil from mutilated pipelines while destroying the environment and ecosystems.
This time, however, surveillance over Ke, Egbema, Akaso Krakama, Krikama and Military Council Valley revealed retinue of illegal refining sites which were effectively destroyed by the Air Component of Operation Delta Safe.
A Cotonou boat fully loaded with crude oil products was also observed at Akaso Krakama about to depart southwards was subsequently attacked and destroyed, according to Gabkwet.
The statement further added that these strikes have substantially weakened the potency of terrorist elements in the Northwest and oil thieves in the Niger Delta region to continually constitute a security threat to the well-being of the nation and its citizenry.
