The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has carried out a successful airstrike against armed bandits in Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State, neutralising several of them and disrupting their operations.
According to local sources, the precision strike took place between 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. on Sunday. The operation reportedly targeted the bandits as they moved through Yabawa, Bazana, Awallah, Dankolo, and Kumbashi villages, transporting cattle stolen from Ragada and surrounding communities toward Kakihum.
Although the NAF has not yet released an official statement, the attack was said to have been executed with coordinated aerial and ground support. Air bombardments struck the convoy while ground troops sealed off escape routes, resulting in multiple casualties among the bandits and forcing survivors to scatter.
Security sources confirmed that ground forces from Rijau, Warari, and Gulbin Boka provided crucial backup during the mission, preventing the gunmen from regrouping or launching retaliatory assaults on nearby communities.
One resident of Ragada, Usman Saidu — a former kidnapping victim — described how the operation saved his life. “When the jet began bombing, God saved me. That was how I escaped from their hands,” he said.
Eyewitnesses also reported hearing a series of loud explosions, followed by heavy gunfire and thick smoke rising from the scene.
Community members praised the Nigerian Air Force for what they described as the most decisive military action against bandits in the area to date.
Security intelligence gathered over the past week had revealed the presence of at least seven heavily armed groups operating across Mariga, Rijau, and Magama local government areas. This intelligence is believed to have informed the NAF’s decision to launch the air offensive.
