Janari, a kidnap kingpin, and some of his foot soldiers were killed during air operations as part of Operation Whirl Punch in Kaduna State.
Janari was accused of masterminding many kidnappings in Kaduna state and along the Abuja-Kaduna expressway.
The Nigerian Air Force acknowledged this in a statement issued on Sunday by its Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet.
Gabkwet alleged that the order to strike was issued after Janari and his companions had gathered to begin an attack on the residents.
The statement read,
“Air strikes undertaken by the air component of Operation Whirl Punch, on Thursday, January 18, 2024, have neutralized a well-known terrorist and kidnap kingpin popularly known as Janari and several members of his syndicate.
Janari and his cohorts have been responsible for several attacks and abductions within Kaduna State as well as along the Abuja-Kaduna highway. The strikes were authorised after Janari and his gang were sighted at a location near Gadar Katako in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
“Further exploitation revealed that they were massing up for a likely attack or kidnapping of vulnerable civilians, hence the need to immediately attack the location. Intelligence received after the strike revealed that Janari was indeed eliminated alongside several other terrorists/kidnappers.”
Gabkwet also said similar operations targeted at kidnappers in Niger state were successful.
“Similar air strikes were also carried out on 20 January 2024 on confirmed terrorists and kidnappers’ hideouts near Chukuba in Niger State with various degrees of success. Feedback after the strikes was also positive as it confirmed that the targets were neutralised and their mobility destroyed,” the statement added.
The country is facing an epidemic of kidnapping and numerous citizens are being abducted by perpetrators in exchange for huge sums of money.
Consequently, various security agencies have intensified their efforts to curb these criminal activities in response to the surge in citizen abductions.