The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) is reported to have confirmed that airstrikes conducted by the Air Component of Operation Fansan Yamma on 16 November 2024 successfully neutralized numerous terrorists and obliterated a major arms depot and the residence of notorious bandit kingpin Mallam Saleh in Palele, Shiroro Local Government Area, Niger State.
Mallam Saleh, a known loyalist of Dogo Gide, had long terrorized Shiroro communities with relentless attacks, abductions, and extortion.
A statement from Air Commodore Olusola Akinboyewa, NAF’s Director of Public Relations and Information, detailed the operation:
“Saleh’s reign of terror brought untold hardship to vulnerable communities in Shiroro. However, the Air Component of Operation Fansan Yamma, leveraging critical intelligence, tracked his movements and meticulously planned this strike to dismantle his operations.”
The operation unfolded with NAF aircraft identifying terrorists on motorcycles in the target area.
“With swift and precise action, the NAF assets unleashed devastating strikes, destroying Saleh’s weapons cache and dealing a severe blow to the terrorists. A secondary explosion confirmed the obliteration of the munitions, effectively crippling their capabilities,” the statement added.
This mission aligns with the NAF’s logistics strangulation strategy, which focuses on dismantling terrorist infrastructure to restore peace in affected regions.
NAF emphasized its commitment to collaboration with ground forces, maintaining air dominance through regular patrols, real-time situational awareness, and precision interdictions.
“The impact of this mission is significant, degrading the terrorists’ operational capabilities and enhancing the protection of innocent lives,” Akinboyewa said.
