Nigerian Military Kills Dozens Of Armed Gang Members Of The Mastermind Of Mass Kidnapping

JAKARTA - Nigerian military killed dozens of armed gang members in joint air and land operations in forest areas in areas often hit by mass kidnappings and attacks on villages.

The armed forces said they were moving on Sunday, August 10 after more than 400 gang members, known locally as bandits, were seen preparing to attack villages in the Bukuyum regional government area, Zamfara state.

The airstrikes killed several well-known kingpins and a number of their soldiers, said Air Force spokesman Ehimen Ejodame.

Land forces intercepted and killed other people who tried to flee the area in the Makakkari Forest.

The armed group often detained prisoners for months and demanded ransom for their release.

Nigerian governments have launched repeated military attacks on them in recent years, but violence continues.