In accordance with the collaborative endeavors of the Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK), and the Nigerien Air Force, coordinated air interdiction operations were conducted on April 23, 2024. These operations targeted terrorist hideouts situated within the Damasak and Mobbar Local Government Areas (LGA) of Borno State.
As relayed by the Director of Public Relations and Information for the Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet, the impetus for these strikes was the attempted assault on troops from Sector 4 of the MNJTF in Lada, a border town positioned between Niger Republic and Nigeria. Subsequently, the assailants sought refuge by crossing the border into Nigeria. Tracked to two distinct locations—Zarri village, approximately 28 km east of Damasak, and Mala Alide in Mobbar LGA—the fleeing terrorists were observed harboring in the villages alongside their concealed motorcycles.
Under the guidance of Niger’s Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, precision airstrikes were conducted by the Air Component of OPHK and the Nigerien Air Force, effectively neutralizing the terrorist presence and dismantling their infrastructure. Subsequent real-time ISR analysis confirmed the elimination of numerous terrorists and the destruction of several structures within the targeted areas.
The sustained cooperation and joint initiatives across borders have yielded commendable results, notably in curbing terrorism and related transnational crimes perpetrated by individuals seeking to exploit porous border regions to evade justice. Such collaborative efforts remain pivotal in maintaining regional security and stability.
