Two trailers suspected to be carrying logistics support for the Boko Haram terrorists have been intercepted and destroyed by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Agusta Helicopter on reconnaissance mission around the Nigeria-Cameroon border. A statement by the NAF director of public relations and information, Air Commodore Dele Alonge, and made available to LEADERSHIP yesterday night, said the trailers were covered and parked at different locations in the bush around the border town of Belel. He also added that the recent air operation against the insurgents was commanded by the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar from NAF reconnaissance aircraft, the King Air 350i. He said, "The CAS coordinated the various NAF platforms involved in the operation to provide close air support to ground forces, led by the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, as they advance from Dikwa to Gamboru Ngala." He ,however, noted that NAF 260, a Mi-24V attack Helicopter was hit during the operation as one of the main rotor blades was affected and damaged, but the pilot was able to "successfully fly the helicopter" back to base to land, saying that the affected aircraft has since been repaired and is back to the theatre of operation.
