Showdown: Nigeria Air Force deploys six fighter jets to ‘end Boko Haram insurgency’

The Nigerian Air Force on Friday launched the second phase of its counterinsurgency campaign in Northeast Nigeria by deploying six special combat Jets that are geared towards wiping out the Boko Haram insurgency in the region in a short time.

The six lethal aircrafts, comprising three Alpha Jets and three MIF7 jets are to be used by a new combat group, tagged ‘Operation Gama-Aiki’
meaning ‘end the Job’ in Hausa.

“Operation Gama Aiki”, launched on Friday in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, is a second phase of the NAF operation in the ongoing counter terrorism war in the volatile Northeast.

Air Component Commander of the Flagship Counterinsurgency; ‘Operation Lafiya Dole’, Peter Uzezi, said the new phase of the onslaught would “flush out insurgents from the areas notorious as a major stronghold of the outlawed group.”

He said the new operation followed a successful outing in Sambisa forest under the aegis of “Operation Crackdown” in collaboration with ground troops.

He said six fighter jets had been deployed with specific instructions to the northern axis area.

“Three out of the six aircrafts are Alfa jets, expected to patrol the Monguno axis and advance with ground troops towards Alagarno where operations are ongoing.

“The other three are MIF7 jets heading towards Diffa general area in Niger Republic enroute Baga local government to effect logistic re-supply to troops operating in Baga and surrounding towns.

Mr. Uzezi urged the air fighters “to sustain coordinated airstrikes and interdiction with ground troops as well as the Multi National Joint Task Force.”

Despite the recorded successes of the Nigeria military over the Boko Haram insurgents, the outlawed group continued to carry out pockets of deadly attacks on soft targets especially in communities not covered by the military.

On Thursday the insurgents attacked a vulnerable group of mourners in a village in Adamawa State, killing at least 18 persons during a wake-keeping session.