By Victor Akaa.
In a daring and coordinated operation, the Air and Land Components of Operation FANSAN YAMMA joined forces to destroy the notorious Lakurawas Terrorists Group (LTG) hideouts at Gidan Bisa and Gidan Runtuwa in Jirikon Forest, Silame LGA of Sokoto State.
The operation, which took place on December 25, 2024, was a resounding success, dealing a significant blow to the terrorist group’s capabilities and infrastructure.
Director Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba in a statement on Friday said the military had been monitoring the area for an extended period, conducting sustained Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions to confirm the presence of Lakurawa terrorists.
According to him, human Intelligence reports also corroborated the findings, emphasizing the strategic importance of neutralizing the location.
He noted that the joint operation was carefully planned to utilize the Air Component’s precision strike capability, complemented by the Land Component’s boots on the ground.
On the day of the operation, aircraft conducted a precision airstrike on the identified hideouts at approximately 0600hrs, using precision-guided munitions to minimize collateral damage.
General Buba maintained that the Land Component deployed at blocking positions around the target location, preventing the escape of Lakurawa terrorists and providing immediate post-strike assessment and follow-up actions.
Following the airstrike, ground forces moved into the area to assess the strike’s impact, confirming that the hideout was successfully neutralized with minimal damage observed in the surrounding village.
The locals in the area confirmed the presence of Lakurawa terrorists, who had been using the general area as a staging ground for their operations.
He explained that the airstrike achieved its primary objective of neutralizing the Lakurawa terrorists in their concentration area, destroying key infrastructure, including arms caches and logistics dumps.
The air strike on the terrorist arms cache and logistics dump led to secondary explosions, causing hoarded munitions to explode in different directions, resulting in 10 deaths.
The statement added that efforts are ongoing to determine whether those killed were terrorist collaborators.
The success of this operation is a testament to the bravery and dedication of the troops, who will continue to take painstaking measures to avoid civilian casualties while targeting and dislodging terrorists across the nation.
