The operatives of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) have killed two wanted Boko Haram commanders, Abu Ubaida and Mallam Yusuf Abba, in Shiroro, Niger State.

It was gathered that the Boko Haram commanders were killed alongside about 40 of their accomplices at an abandoned warehouse in Kurebe, a community in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.

A defence intelligence operative disclosed that Ubaida and Abba were killed by the airstrikes conducted by a NAF aircraft attached to Operation Whirl Punch, which recently raided the terrorists’ enclave.

“It would be recalled that on 22 December 2022, a NAF aircraft struck a terrorists’ gathering at Kurebe in Shiroro LGA.

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“Several terrorists were killed, but it was unclear if any of the terrorists’ kingpins was killed in the air attacks.

“Consequently, after the said airstrike, preliminary investigations via exploitation of several sources revealed that there was underground in the warehouse where the terrorists run to hide whenever a NAF aircraft flies over the area.

“It was also revealed that the terrorists hibernate within the location and bikes seen at different occasions carrying fertilizers to the warehouse.

“These fertilizers are used by the terrorists to produce Improvised Explosive Device(s) (IEDs).

“Accordingly, NAF fighter jets were dispatched with the mission of ensuring total destruction of the warehouse and annihilation of the terrorists,” the intelligence operative told PRNigeria.

Confirming the incident, the NAF spokesperson, Air Commodore Wap Maigida, said the military’s Air Component will continue to sustain the offensive operations against Boko Haram terrorists.

He stated that all the NAF Operational Commanders, in keeping to the directive of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, were making sure that terrorists and collaborators are denied any breathing space.

The Star