NAF Reacts to Flogging
NAF Reacts to Flogging of Armed Bandits in
Zamfara
The attention of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has been drawn to
a video and some pictures circulating on some social media and
online platforms showing some military personnel flogging suspected
armed bandits at Shinkafi Local Government Area (LGA) in Zamfara
State. The NAF has discovered that some of its personnel were part
of the joint team stationed at the Galadi Sub-Sector at the
time.
The joint team had, sequel to intelligence reports, intercepted
a group of suspected armed bandits, including some fighters from
across the border, at their Sububu Forest hideout whilst they were
on the verge of executing an attack against innocent civilians in
Shinkafi. In the process, the team recovered one AK-47 rifle along
with 3 loaded magazines and 3 dane guns from the bandits. In an
effort to obtain further information on the criminals’ plans and
the location of their armoury, the troops employed unauthorized,
crude corporal methods.
The NAF wishes to state unequivocally that the troops’ actions
of flogging and physically assaulting the disarmed suspects were
totally unacceptable and not in consonance with the Standing
Operating Procedures (SOPs) guiding the conduct of the operation.
Our personnel have always been directed to respect the rights of
innocent civilians as well as captured combatants, no matter the
provocation.
The public is to please note that the NAF has zero tolerance for
such human rights violations and has since initiated appropriate
action to address the anomaly. In this regard, a Board of Inquiry
(BOI) has been set up by the Headquarters Special Operations
Command (HQ SOC) to determine the remote and immediate causes of
the incident with a view to ensuring that appropriate disciplinary
action is taken against all NAF personnel found culpable. The
public will be kept informed on the outcome of the
investigations.
The NAF, as an organization, wishes to state that it remains a
professional fighting force that will continue to operate within
the ambits of all relevant laws and procedures, as well as in line
with international best practices, whilst remaining fully
accountable to the Nigerian people.
IBIKUNLE DARAMOLA
Air Commodore
Director of Public Relations and Information
Nigerian Air Force