Bandits kill 4 Air Personnel in Kaduna
Four Air Force personnel were said to have been killed by bandits, who ambushed them in Unguwan Yako, close to Buruku, along the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari Road.
Sources, however, gave different numbers of soldiers killed in the attack.
A source said while the attack, which occurred Thursday afternoon, was going on, a warplane had dropped bombs on the bandits, killing many of them on the spot. He added that a reinforcement team of soldiers pursued the remaining bandits into the bush.
“The soldiers did not usually stay on that spot, but because of the increased rate of insecurity in the area, they were deployed there that Thursday, when they met their death,” he said.
Another source said the Air Force personnel were four in number, and that only one of them was killed in the attack, while two vehicles belonging to the Air Force were set ablaze.
Meanwhile, the Air Force authority said it lost only one personnel during the duel, while several of the bandits were killed in the process.
The Director of Public Relations and Information, Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, said:
“Troops of the 271 Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Detachment, Birnin Gwari on Thursday, 9 January 2020, foiled an ambush set up by over 70 armed bandits at Ungwan Yako along the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari Road in Kaduna State.
“The gallant troops were able to fight their way through the ambush to the side of Birnin Gwari, killing several bandits in the process. Unfortunately, one NAF personnel paid the supreme price in the process, while some sustained varying degrees of injury…”
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has condemned the recent attack on troops of the 271 Nigerian Air Force Detachment, by armed bandits at Ungwan Yako along Kaduna-Birnin Gwari Road.
The Chairman of the House Committee on Air Force, Dr. Shehu Koko Mohammad (APC) called on the Chief of Air Staff, Sadiq Abubakar, to redouble efforts at ridding the country of terrorists and bandits.
The lawmaker, representing Koko-Besse/Maiyama Federal constituency of Kebbi State, applauded the Air Force for its gallantry that ensured the civilian casualty was minimal.
Condoling with the Force personnel that paid the supreme price, he said the House was ready to ensure adequate funding to the Air Force and other sister agencies to enable them discharge their duties effectively.