The Nigerian Air Force coordinated ransom payments to armed bandits in exchange for an anti-aircraft gun seized from the Nigerian Army, The Wall Street Journal said, in a desperate deal that was brokered as President Muhammadu Buhari was planning a trip to Katsina.

The U.S. outlet said N20 million was delivered to the bandits in Rugu Forest by a Nigerian Air Force official, who leaked details of the operation under anonymity, because the military realised that it would be too risky to leave the weapon in the hands of violent criminals operating in an area the presidential jet would fly over.

The rugged, lawless jungle that covers parts of Kaduna, Zamfara and the president’s home state of Katsina has served as a vast haven for bandits terrorising Nigeria’s northwestern communities. A large portion of kidnapping plots emanates or terminates in or around the forest, security agencies have previously warned.
“The mission to buy back the antiaircraft gun began with a handoff from a high-ranking air force intelligence officer in the capital Abuja: a black zip-up bag he said was full of 20 million Nigerian naira,” the paper reported, after stating that such military hardware in the hands of bandits “posed a threat to President Muhammadu Buhari, who had been planning to fly to his hometown about 80 miles away.”

The gun truck with 12.7 caliber anti-aircraft fire was reportedly disassembled and transported back to the military on motorbikes after the deal was concluded.

The Journal did not specify when the deal was brokered or the presidential trip that was planned. The president has been in his hometown at least twice this year that his office disclosed to the public. The first trip was in late January and another in July.

Although the Nigerian government claimed combat victories against armed bandits, several military bases have been sacked by the violent criminals dreaded largely for their abduction of schoolchildren and prominent personalities, including politicians and emirs.

Last month, a forward operating base crucial to the military campaign against banditry was raided in Zamfara, leaving at least 12 officers killed. The bandits also seized military equipment when they captured the base in Dansadau, about 80 kilometres south of the capital Gusau, in the September 11 operation.

Less than two weeks later on September 24 previous year, bandits again struck a joint base of security forces in the neighbouring Sokoto State, killing several soldiers, Civil Defence officers and civilians.

The Nigerian Air Force also confirmed on July 19 that bandits had shot down one of its fighter jets, but the pilot was able to eject and there were no casualties. The incident came as Mr Buhari was visiting his hometown for this year’s Sallah.

It was not immediately clear why service chiefs opted for a ransom payment in the operation described by The Journal. Military weapons that fell into the hands of Boko Haram insurgents and bandits were usually destroyed by airstrikes.

Whereas Mr Buhari has promised to be tough on the bandits and publicly railed against governors negotiating with them, his government has been known to pay ransom to terrorists and other violent criminals.

The government paid millions of dollars to free some of the Chibok girls seized in 2014 under President Goodluck Jonathan. It also facilitated hundreds of millions of naira in ransom to bandits who seized schoolchildren in Niger State earlier this year.

The Gazette has yet to hear back from the Nigerian Air Force about the reported N20 million ransom to bandits.

Source: https://legitbaze.com/breaking-nigerian-air-force-pays-bandits-n20-million-to-avoid-shooting-down-buharis-plane-us-intelligent-report/

May God punish anybody still supporting the demonic Apc...

This must be an expensive joke




Yusuf your Father laps

Government of Terrorists sympathizers

CANISPDP NEWS

PDPISCAN NEWS

Ok who i no see em fafa make I come banditi head quotas por zampara or Katsina

This is most likely the truth

Seems like the
Government has been concealing a lot of fact from the people

Instead of using the funds to annihilate, they are using it empower the enemy under the guise of the protecting only the president.

Karlovich:
This is fake news, Buhari the 5 star General has equipped our military with the most sophisticated artillery to deal with bandits. Our enemies must be put to shame.

All we want is a better Nigeria! Sai Baba

Ps reminds me of the person in that pic. Is it Omenka the pauper?

And it was so easy to hunt down Sunday Igboho.

The evil that men do, lives with them.
Please where is Lai Muhammed when APC needs him most?

Lol

Karlovich:
This is fake news, Buhari the 5 star General has equipped our military with the most sophisticated artillery to deal with bandits. Our enemies must be put to shame.

All we want is a better Nigeria! Sai Baba

are u too blind to see the truth? Until ur entire generation fall victim then u will realized that this is no more joke! buhari and u have failled woefuly! Shame be unto u for supporting evil

Wie need 2 Presidents to rule us at once. One of the president is general olusegun obsanjo on security matter while peter obi will focus more on the economy.
Why 2 VP in sanusi and osibanjo

Lol



Nepotism killed Buhari's career completely

This source get as e be o

But isn't it funny that Northern Governors who created the beasts ravaging the North, are always first to cry on to the FG to send help when their shit hits the roof.
You can't spend 20 million dollars on education, but you want 500m dollar tucano jets to do what you could have avoided by simply delivering good governance in the first place!!!
Idiots in power.

Number one lucrative job now is being a bandit in Nigeria.

MMWandali:
This is most likely the truth

Seems like the
Government has been concealing a lot of fact from the people

Instead of using the funds to annihilate, they are using it empower the enemy under the guise of the protecting only the president.

It is very sad.

Anything is possible under this evil party.

This can't be real

8. Don't post false information on Nairaland.