Nigerian military kills scores of bandits in airstrikes: Official

Abuja: Scores of bandits have been killed in airstrikes in the Nigerian northwestern state of Zamfara, a top official has confirmed.

The airstrikes took place on Friday in the village of Babban Kauye in the Tsafe local government area of Zamfara, where the suspected bandits were located, said Olusole Akinboyewa, the spokesman for the Nigerian Air Force, Xinhua news agency reported.

The airstrikes by the military were aimed at eliminating bandit threats in the northwestern part of Nigeria, the spokesman said.

Intelligence sources revealed that the criminals have planned to attack military personnel or civilians, he said.

The operation dealt "a severe blow to their operational capacity of the bandits," he added.