The Nigeria army says that she killed dozens of bandits in the state of Zamfara

The Nigerian Air Force killed dozens of armed mans, known locally as “bandits”, who were members of criminal gangs operating in Zamfara state, said the army.

The Air Force said in a statement on Monday that he had made a raid in the Makakkari forest, in the northwest of Nigeria, who was the hiding place of armed men who would be at the origin of some high-level kidnapping in the region.

He said that he had carried out the operation after surveillance detected more than 400 gang members preparing to attack a village.

Over the past two weeks, the armed gangs have targeted the nearby colonies, killing scores and kidnapping much more. At least 13 safety staff were also killed.

The air strikes, in coordination with ground attacks, led to the death of “several notorious bands and dozens of their soldiers,” said Air Force spokesperson, Air Commodore, Ehimen Ejodame.

He added that land forces intercepted and killed other people trying to flee the forest.

In some parts of Nigeria, ransom kidnapping has become a lucrative business for some.

The bandits, motivated by the financial gain, have also increased their cooperation with the jihadist groups which made an armed insurrection of 16 years in the Northeast.

In recent years, soldiers have launched a number of operations against gangs, including last month, when at least 95 gang members were killed – but violence has persisted.