A notorious terrorist responsible for several kidnappings and killings along the Abuja-Kaduna Road and in several communities in Kaduna, Niger, Katsina and Zamfara has been killed in an air strike, an official announced Sunday morning.
Edward Gabkwet, the spokesperson of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), said Yellow Jambros and over a dozen of his followers were killed while boarding a boat to cross the Jikudna River in Galadima Kogo District, heading towards the Wurukuvhi axis of Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna.
Mr Gabkwet, an air commodore, said the terrorists must have thought the military would suspend air raids following the unfortunate incident in Kaduna last week when a military air strike killed scores of Muslim worshippers at an Islamic gathering.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that the military blamed that incident on a human error and has apologised to the families of the victims.
In his Sunday statement, Mr Gabkwet said the latest air strike, believed to have been executed on Saturday, was carried out by the “Air Component of Operation Whirl Punch.”
He said Yellow Jambros and many other terrorists were killed in the airstrikes in Shiroro Local Government Area (LGA) of Niger, the News Agency of Nigeria reports.
How Strike Was Executed
The spokesperson said that Yellow Jambros and his cohorts were trailed from Zamfara into Niger riding 13 motorcycles along the Kaduna-Niger State border and heading towards Kusasu in Shiroro.
“At Kusasu, five other motorcycle-riding terrorists joined Yellow Jambros’ convoy, bringing the total number of motorcycles to 18, which then headed to the bank of River Jikudna.
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“At the river bank, the terrorists and their 18 motorcycles boarded a large motor-powered canoe in an attempt to cross and link up with other terrorists across the river.
“It was at this point that the authorisation to undertake a strike was given.
“The precision strike was adjudged effective as it neutralised Yellow Jambros and his colleagues, destroyed their motorcycles and sank the boat.
“Though it was unusual for terrorists riding in a convoy of 18 motorcycles to travel in broad daylight, it was apparent that Yellow Jambros and his cohorts had assumed that air strikes were suspended following the unfortunate incident at Tudun Biri in Kaduna State and wanted to exploit the perceived window of opportunity,” he said.
The NAF spokesperson said that Yellow Jambros and his cohorts had been responsible for several kidnappings and killings along the Abuja-Kaduna Road and in several communities in Kaduna, Niger, Katsina and Zamfara States.
He said a kidnap kingpin, known as Mohammed Sani, who was arrested by the police in Zamfara in October 2020 for murdering over 50 of his kidnap victims due to their inability to pay a ransom, had claimed that he worked for Yellow Jambros.
According to Mr Gabkwet, the terrorist revealed that Yellow Jambros usually supplied him with fake military and police uniforms, guns and other weapons needed to execute his operation.
Insecurity in Northwest, Northcentral
The states that Yellow Jambros operated in are some of the states most affected by terrorism, locally called banditry.
The terrorists, locally called bandits, attack communities at will. They kill and kidnap residents who refuse to do their bidding including the payment of levies and ransom.
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