• Friday, March 29, 2024
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Zamfara killings: NAF begins probe

Air Force

Following allegations of civilian casualties in Zamfara operations, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Wednesday, said it had begun enquiry into the claims.

The investigation comes on the heels of allegations by the Zamfara council of chiefs, that airstrikes were directed at civilian location.

The council went further to provide names of those it claimed died from the incidents.

However, the Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, at a press conference in Abuja, said nothing could be further from the truth.

According to Daramola: “In the light of the allegation by the Zamfara State Council of Chiefs, the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, has ordered a high powered Panel of Inquiry to investigate the veracity or otherwise of the claim.

“The Panel, which will be headed by an Air Vice Marshal – 2-star general, will work with the Zamfara State Government as well as the Zamfara State Council of Chiefs and other stakeholders.

“The Panel will start its investigation from Katsina, the Headquarters of Operation DIRAN MIKYA, before proceeding to Gusau and other relevant locations Zamfara State to properly scrutinize all evidence presented by the Zamfara State Council of Chiefs. At the end of the investigation, members of the public would be duly informed.”

Daramola wondered why such allegation will be made, in view of the fact that the NAF was not using bombs in the ongoing Zamfara air operations.

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“It is pertinent to re-state that, before any attack mission is conducted or any target is engaged, the NAF ensures that it carries out detailed ISR missions, as a follow-up to reliable credible human intelligence to ensure proper targeting in order to, as much as possible, avoid collateral damage. Furthermore, as standard practice, NAF attack aircraft on air interdiction missions are accompanied by ISR platforms that guide them to designated targets.

“Moreover, NAF pilots, by training and in line with extant Rules of Engagement for any operation, do not attack any location if it is observed that non-combatants are present.

“As a responsible Service, the NAF also wishes to clarify that in all its air strikes in the North West, bombs were never used. This has been deliberately done in view of the nature of threat as well as the operational environment, despite the fact that the armed bandits have Anti-Aircraft Gun in their possession.

“The allegation that bombs were used is therefore not only false but out rightly misleading”, he said.

 

Stella Enenche, Abuja