NAF airlifts rescued hostages from Sambisa forest

By Miss Umar Bologi
Abuja

Following the recaptured of Boko Haram terrorists’ tactical headquarters in Camp Zairo, Sambisa forest, through the efforts of the Nigerian Air Force and the Nigerian Army, the Air Force had airlifted rescued hostages for treatment in Maiduguri, Born state.
Camp Zairo WA earlier captured by the military in December 2016, but was said to be abandoned by the troops when the raining season set in, which gave the terrorists the opportunity to regroup in the area.
NAF’s spokesperson, Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adeaanya, said the rescued hostages, which included the aged, women and children, were airlifted to the 105 Composite Group, Maiduguri by the NAF Augusta 109 helicopter.
He said: “At the NAF Base in Maiduguri, the NAF Medical Team, which was on standby, conducted preliminary medical checks on the rescued hostages and also provided them with medical treatment prior to the process of integrating them into the larger society.
“Furthermore, the rescued hostages, who were all looking tired and malnourished after the period of captivity, were fed by the NAF. The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has directed that those with serious medical cases be immediately placed on admission to ensure they were adequately cared for.
“This is in furtherance of the NAF’s resolute efforts at winning the ‘hearts and minds’ of the locals, as part of an overall campaign strategy. It would be recalled that the NAF, under its current leadership, has been rendering humanitarian services to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the North-east and other parts of the country as part of its corporate social responsibility.”
Adesanya said over 300, 000 IDPs “have so far benefited from NAF’s medical outreach programmes, which spread across the entire country.”
He said NAF would continue to airlift the rescued hostages and provide them with the needed initial succour.

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