Nigerian Air Force decisively hit terrorists' illegal IED factory, dismantling their key hideouts at multiple locations.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has, in its latest operation aimed at fighting insecurity, destroyed a factory manufacturing Improvised Explosive Devices (IED), including unleashing a ferocious airstrike on a notorious terrorists’ hideout in Kaduna.
The counter-terrorist attack , according to the Nigerian Air Force, was part of a decisive action underscoring the relentless campaign against terrorism and the Nigerian government’s commitment to eradicating violent extremism and restoring peace to the region.
The Nigerian Air Force Vice Marshal,
Director of Public Relations and Information, Edward Gabkwet, confirmed details of the successful operation on Thursday.
He said a suspected illegal factory manufacturing Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) was located and destroyed near Mandara mountains in Razah.
Speaking on the incident, Gabkwet said, “Concerned by recent attacks especially on innocent civilians in Borno State using Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) and suicide bombers and in a bid to achieve the mandate of the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai, air strikes were conducted on terrorists’ enclaves at Grazah, a location deep in the Mandara Hills, on 2 August 2024.
“This was sequel to intelligence revealing the sighting of a possible IED factory and storage area for other logistics.
“For some time now, this IED factory was suspected to have been relocated, first from Gwoza to Timbuktu Triangle in Sambisa Forest and finally berthing at Grazah in the Mandara Hills.
“The frequent relocation of the IED factory has been attributed to the enormous fire power on terrorists’ enclaves by the combined efforts of the entire security apparatus of Operation Hadin Kai.”
The Nigerian Air Force Investigated The Site Long Before Launching Air Strikes
He said the Nigerian Air Force had sighted the area for two weeks ahead of the strikes, intelligently observing the operations and “activities of the armed terrorists.”
“The IED factory location at Grazah had been under surveillance for weeks with various installations observed and activities of armed terrorists in the area found to be consistent with those protecting a strategic location.”
Gabkwet noted that insecurity was a looming concern at the location, and the air force strikes were well targeted at the terrorists and their base, the results of which he claimed were seen a few days after a thick cloud and a pall of smokes shot up into the air from the area indicating that they were neutralized.
“Additionally, 2-gun trucks were sighted tucked under a large tree near the suspected IED factory. These findings thus necessitated the need for an air strike on the location in order to destroy the suspected IED factory and neutralize the terrorists,” he added.
“Consequently, the targets were acquired and effectively destroyed.The aftermath of the air strikes followed by a thick cloud of smoke was indicative that the suspected IED factory, as well as the 2-gun trucks, were effectively destroyed, while several terrorists were neutralized.
