The meeting was said to have been conveyed by a Boko Haram terrorist commander identified as Aminu Duniya and attracted many members of the sect.

A source involved in the operation, who did not want his name in print because he was not directed to speak to journalists on the matter, revealed that the air strikes resulted in the death of many terrorists.

It was however not clear if Duniya was also killed in the operation.

The source said, “Over the weekend, NAF aircraft struck terrorists’ gathering at Kurebe in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State after intelligence revealed that terrorists had assembled for an important meeting hosted by Aminu Duniya, a Boko Haram terrorist commander.Aminu Duniya was said to have invited the terrorists to his enclave at Kurebe for the meeting which obviously attracted numerous terrorists who came in large number on their motorbikes.The air strike was successful and it resulted in the death of many terrorists, though it remains unclear if Aminu Duniya was also neutralised in the strike.Kurebe is a known terrorists’ haven as the local inhabitants of Kurebe have since vacated the villages in and around the area after the terrorists drove them away in 2021.”

Over 20 soldiers were allegedly slain when a NAF fighter jet responding to attacks on a military camp by Boko Haram insurgents bombed the camp based on a wrong coordinate.

Scores of insurgents had attacked the military camp in Mainok during which over seven soldiers, including an officer, lost their lives.

But TheCable reported that many soldiers were also killed by airstrikes carried out by the NAF jet.

Reacting to the report on Monday, the NAF spokesman, Edward Gabkwet, an air commodore, said the incident was under investigation.

In a tweet on the official NAF Twitter handle, he said, “The attention of the @NigAirForce has been drawn to reports alleging “How NAF killed over 20 Nigerian Army personnel by accident in an airstrike” at Mainok which is about 55km to Maiduguri.”

A statement released by Edward Gabkwet, the Director of Public Relations and Information at the Nigerian Air Force, states that the intelligence report gathered so far indicates the aircraft might have crashed. He gave the names of the pilots as Flight Lieutenant John Abolarinwa and Flight Lieutenant Ebiakpo Chapele

Read the statement “Intelligence report gathered by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) indicates that the Alpha Jet aircraft (NAF475) that went off the radar with 2 crew members on board on 31 March 2021 might have crashed. The cause of the crash as well as the whereabouts of the 2 pilots remains unknown. The pilots are Flight Lieutenant John Abolarinwa and Flight Lieutenant Ebiakpo Chapele. Extensive search and rescue efforts are still ongoing by NAF surveillance aircraft as well as NAF Special Forces and Nigerian Army troops on the ground. At this point, the NAF is not ruling out anything regarding the incident. It however remains hopeful that the crew would soon be found and rescued”