The Nigerian Air Force on Tuesday evening deployed six aircraft from Katsina to bombard bandits’ positions in the North-West.
The Air Officer in charge of Special Operation Command, Air Vice-Marshal Napoleon Bali, told journalists shortly before the aircraft took off that the mission was to force out the bandits and make it easier for the police and other ground troops to battle them.
Recall that there have been increased banditry in the North- west and other parts of the country in the recent times leading to loss of lives and property.
According to Bali, combat helicopters, four numbering four, took off around 4pm while two Alpha jets and other helicopters followed them about 20 minutes later.
Bali noted that as the bandit re-strategise, the forces would also do the same.
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All the aircraft took off from the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport, Katsina.
“I will, however, appeal to the members of the various communities where the bandits carry out their dastardly acts to come out and give us necessary intelligence on the bandits so that we can precisely pound them.
“We have the mandate of the President and Commander-in-Chief and the Chief of Air Staff to destroy the bandits’ positions wherever they may be in this part of the country.
“We shall be pounding them until all the bandits are flushed out. As they re-strategise, we too will re-strategise and we are taking the battle to them.
“We shall conduct this operation and ensure that the bandits are neutralised with little or no causalities on the part of innocent Nigerians,” said.