The Nigerian Air Force, NAF, has attributed the successful rescue of students and teachers abducted from Government Day Secondary School, Lassa, in Askira/Uba Local Government Area of Borno State, to effective air dominance and intelligence-driven military operations.
The Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF Headquarters, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, disclosed this in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abuja.
The students were abducted on Monday when suspected terrorists attacked the school while candidates were sitting for the Senior School Certificate Examination, SSCE, conducted by the National Examination Council, NECO.
According to the statement, the Chief of the Air Staff, CAS, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, commended the swift deployment of Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, ISR, assets as well as timely air support, which disrupted the movement of the attackers and enabled ground troops to engage them.
Aneke said the operation demonstrated the effectiveness of intelligence-led joint military operations in protecting civilians and sustaining pressure on terrorist groups.
He also praised personnel of the Air Component of Operation HADIN KAI and ground troops for their roles in the rescue operation.
The Air Chief noted that accounts from rescued victims further highlighted the importance of air power in modern counter-terrorism operations, particularly when integrated with ground forces.
He paid tribute to a soldier of Operation HADIN KAI and a member of the Civilian Joint Task Force who lost their lives during the rescue mission.
Speaking on the incident, the Vice Principal of the school, Paul Namaske, said the arrival of military aircraft forced the terrorists to disperse, creating an opportunity for the abducted students and teachers to escape as troops advanced on the attackers’ location.
The military has continued operations against terrorist groups in the North-East as part of ongoing efforts to restore security in the region.