According to PRNigeria, Mallam Ali Kwaya and Mallam Bukar Mainoka, two ISWAP kingpins, have been killed. They were both killed on Saturday during a raid by Nigerian military fighter jets at Lake Chad.
When the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai conducted air interdiction missions at Belowa, one of the very few remaining ISWAP/Boko Haram enclaves in the Tumbuns, Lake Chad Region in Abadam Local Government, Kwaya and Mainoka, who were also significant members of the ISWAP Shura (Consultation) Council, were killed.
PRNigeria learned via a military intelligence agent that the airstrikes at Belowa were conducted as intelligence revealed the converging of certain ISWAP leaders and militants from other areas for a meeting with the intention of preparing attacks on friendly forces.
The operator, who requested anonymity, claimed that his Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter aircraft sent, fought the ISWAP forces with rockets and explosives in repeated passes.
“An hour after the strikes, two trucks carrying roughly 13 injured but still alive terrorists to another location were targeted by pinpoint strikes by NAF aircraft.
Feedback following the strikes “indicated that ISWAP kingpin, Mallam Ali Kwaya, who is a major member of the ISWAP Shura Council, and Mallam Bukar Mainoka were among those neutralized in the strikes,” he claimed.
The military intelligence agent claimed that similar attacks were also carried out on Friday at Ngwuri Gana, a locality east of Maiduguri in the Bama LGA.
According to him, “the strikes became necessary as a result of intelligence that a number of ISWAP insurgents in 15 trucks were seen assembling at the location.
Feedback showed the attack was successful since numerous terrorists were neutralized and all of their buildings and vehicles were completely destroyed by fire.
When reached, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, a NAF spokesperson, confirmed the strikes but declined to comment on the victims’ names.
But he added, “Our route to triumph in the Northeast and Northwest is on course, and we won’t back down until all areas are free of terrorists and insurgents.
Don’t forget that the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Amao, ordered that terrorists and insurgents must not be allowed to have a place to hide, and that our pilots and technicians’ resiliency is in keeping with that order. He added.
