The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has intensified aerial patrol over the Sambisa Forest in a renewed effort to prevent fleeing Boko Haram terrorists who might have escaped the latest onslaught from regrouping.

Group Captain Ayodele Famuyiwa, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, in a statement issued on Friday, said the over 60,000 kilometre-square forest is being painstakingly patrolled day and night by NAF Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft to deny the fleeing insurgents the opportunity to regroup and launch attack against host communities and own surface troops on clearance operation.

He said the NAF, in a similar operation, has deployed ISR platforms for surveillance activities over Samaru, Katab, Zonkwa, Kafanchan and other troubled areas in Southern part of Kaduna State including the Kaduna metropolis.

“The ongoing air operation is aimed at supporting the Surface Forces as well as restoring confidence in the people living in the affected areas while at the same time seeking out the hideouts used by criminal elements and armed bandits within the troubled areas.

“Aside employing air power to flush out the bandits the NAF also relays the intelligence gathered from its ISR operations to land forces to aid the conduct of the entire operations,” Famuyiwa said.