It would seem as if the collaboration between the Nigerian Army and those of neighbouring West African countries jointly affected by the Boko haram malaise has extended beyond land engagements into the Air.
This is with the backdrop of the Nigerian Air force working in tandem with the Nigerien Air force to provide ground cover for Nigeria Army troops to repel a Boko haram attack at Gashigar in Borno.
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This was revealed on Saturday by the NAF Director of Public Relations and Information Commodore Ibikunle Daramola who said the operation was carried out on Saturday.
“The operation was carried out overnight of October 27 and early morning of October 28, following a report from troops at Gashigar that their location was under attack.
Accordingly, a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform that was on a mission at another location was immediately redirected to Gashigar,” he said.
The spokesperson for the Nigerian Air force further revealed that a pair of Mi-35 helicopter gunships had joined the operation against the insurgents.
“Overhead Gashigar, the NAF ISR platform was joined by another from the Nigerien Air Force and they both were able to identify the location of the BHTs, in 13 Gun Trucks, as they advanced towards the camp from two different directions.
They subsequently directed the fire of the helicopter gunships and ground troops support weapons towards the terrorists,” he said as he confirmed that the attack forced the insurgents to beat a hasty retreat from the camp.
“However, the BHTs attempted to regroup at a location outside the camp but were again engaged by the helicopter gunships and sent scampering in different directions, with several of them killed or injured in the process,” he said further.
The planes and gunships had remained within the vicinity of the battle providing air support when necessary until all the threats had been neutralized.
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