The pan-northern socio-political organization, Aewa Consultative Forum has commended the Nigerian Air Force for neutralizing over 50 bandits suspected to be kidnappers terrorizing travellers along Kaduna-Abuja expressway.
This was contained in a statement personally signed by the ACF’s National Chairman, Chief Audu Ogbeh.
The statement titled, ‘ACF congratulates President Buhari and Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar’, was made available by National Publicity Secretary of the Forum, Emmanuel Yawe, to newsmen in Kaduna on Sunday.
Although the Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr. Samuel Aruwan said the air component of Operation Thunder Strike neutralized several bandits, he never gave details of the number of bandits killed along the Kaduna-Abuja expressway.
The commissioner had said, “The air platform engaged the bandits and subsequently neutralized several of them, with some of the cattle also affected.
“The air platform is still conducting aggressive fighting patrols to criminal hideouts in the general area as well as the Kaduna-Abuja Road.”
However, on Sunday, the ACF chairman commended the Nigerian Air Force for successfully neutralizing over 50 bandits along Kaduna – Abuja expressway.
Ogbeh noted that It was indeed heartwarming to hear that they(bandits) had been dealt a heavy blow by the gallant forces.
The chairman called on other security forces – Army, Police, Navy, DSS- to borrow from the good example shown by the Air Force and take the fight to the doorsteps of the insurgents.
Ogbeh, a former Minister of Agriculture, said, “I wish to on behalf of Arewa Consultative Forum congratulate President, Commander in Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, Muhammadu Buhari and the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar for the successful operation on Abuja-Kaduna road last week in which about 50 bandits were neutralized.