Boko Haram terrorists are back to Sambisa forest - Air Force says

Boko Haram terrorists have returned to the Sambisa forest area in Borno state, the Nigerian Air Force confirmed on Thursday.


The Air Force also said its fighter jets and attack helicopters, had bombed the terrorists’ hideouts 108 times between April and July, 2017.

The Air Component Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, the military operation in the North-East, Air Commodore Tajudeen Yusuf, disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Yola, Adamawa State.

“Intelligence surveillance and Reconnaissance reports through the second quarter of 2017 indicated a gradual return of the Boko Haram terrorist activities to the Sambisa Forest. There have been sightings of a few Boko Haram activities in the Sambisa general area, particularly in Parisu.

“Hence, the air component conducted significant ISR missions in the Sambisa general area. On July 3, an air interdiction mission was conducted on Alagarno Camp. Several solar panels were seen on buildings in the location, which indicated that it was being used as a Command and Control facility.

“The NAF conducted air interdiction missions with the F-7Ni, Alpha jets, L-39ZA, Mi-17 and the Mi-35M attack helicopters to neutralise the Boko Haram terrorist targets within the theatre.

“A total of 108 air interdiction sorties were conducted from April to June 2017,” he said.