Chief of Air Staff: 300 Boko Haram Have Been Killed in Air Raids in North-east

Chief of Air Staff: 300 Boko Haram Have Been Killed in Air Raids in North-east

The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, today disclosed that about 300 members of the Boko Haram sect were killed in an air operation undertaken in the night.

Abubakar made this disclosure while addressing men of the Nigerian Air Force involved in anti-insurgency operations in the North-east region in Maiduguri, Borno State, shortly after the state Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, inaugurated an emergency hospital and borehole for internally displaced persons in Bama.

The CAS said the air force now has the capacity to attack at any time, both day and night, and that the insurgents have no more hiding place.

Addressing the troops, Abubakar said: "I cannot but say thank you. I am very happy, and it is noteworthy that since August 16 till now, you have undertaken extensive air operation, and on account of that, we are able to deal with these terrorists trying to make life difficult for our people.

"I want to say from the briefing that I received from the air component commander, I am satisfy with what you have done; I am satisfy with the outcome of the air operation.

"Of particular note is the operation you conducted on the 19th of this month, it was a night operation and we were very lucky to deal with these guys (insurgents) who had en-massed somewhere and were planning to go out to attack a target. We are also happy that about 300 of them will not be available to commit any evil again."

He said the only way that other insurgents will not suffer the same fate is for them to come out and surrender.

According to Abubakar, "We have for once dealt with them and we want to urge others in their own interest to surrender their weapons and hand over themselves and face justice that is the only thing that will save them. I want to urge you guys to continue these intensive air operations and make it impossible for them to come out to kill innocent Nigerians."

He told the officers that: "We are very happy with the progress you have recorded and I want to assure you also that the air force will continue to provide for your needs and as much as possible build your capacity in the area of training; we will try to address aircraft maintenance challenges so that whenever you fly, you fly with the best of airplanes.

"We also want to assure you that we will provide for your welfare especially in the area of accommodation, medical needs and then the needs of your family that are there in different barracks across the country."

He assured them that: "So much is still going to be committed to see that you have the best because to whom much is given, much is expected. The night operation has sent a very clear signal to Boko Haram that if they want to continue to live, they must come out in their own interest, drop their weapons and face justice.”

Earlier the Chief of Air Staff in company of the state governor and some senior officers from the air force and soldiers involved in the counter-insurgency war in the North-east had flown to Bama to inaugurated a borehole and emergency hospital built by Nigerian Air Force.

The Borno State Governor who spoke at the occasion thanked the Nigerian Air Force for the demonstration of love not only on the field of war but with the gift of the borehole and the hospital.

He said whenever the history of the sad Boko Haram war is written, the name of the Nigerian Air Force and other Armed Forces and security agencies would be etched in gold.