The Nigerian Air Force has conducted 286 air operations on Boko Haram targets in the last one month, it said on Saturday.
Addressing a press conference in Maiduguri, the Deputy Theatre Commander (Air) of the counter-insurgency operation in the North-East (Operation Lafiya Dole), Air Vice Marshall Isiaka Amao said the air component of the counter-insurgency operation has conducted 286 “operational sorties” against Boko Haram terrorists targets from December 25, 2015 till date.
He explained that this translates to 157,000 Square Kilometres of operational coverage, equivalent “to the total land mass of South Korea, Portugal and Togo.”
He said this also translates to “a total of 536 hours 21 minutes were flown by various platforms engaged in the operations, expending 316,637.5 litres of aviation fuel which amounts to N60,376,912, excluding the cost of maintenance and armament expended.”
He said the operations which was aimed at further degrading the terrorist group, also was targeted towards surveillance at locating the abducted Chibok girls and other citizens that may have been abducted by the terrorist group.
Amao said successes were recorded as during the operations there was destruction of newly discovered Boko Haram leadership hideouts, enclaves, logistics support bases and infrastructure.
He insisted that this led to the terrorist group fleeing Sambisa Forest to near locations due to aerial bombardment and has denied them the opportunity to regroup.
He said that during one of the air strikes on Christmas Day in Sambisa Forest, the leadership meeting of the insurgency group was disrupted and over 15 persons were killed.
He disclosed that apart from Sambisa Forest, air strikes have been conducted on other hideouts including Gawa, Walasa, Kote, Alagarno, Talala, Alafa North, Yele, Arra, Dure, Ajigin, Takwalla and Kumshe.
He said close battlefield air interdiction and close air support were provided for Nigerian troops at Gadzama and Ngwalimiri
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