The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has reacted sharply to allegations
that its stings against rampaging bandits in Zamfara State were on
innocent civilians, challenging anyone with evidence that civilians
were targeted during its recent strikes to produce it.
The NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air
Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, made the request in a statement on
Friday in Abuja.
He urged anyone with such evidence to produce it, adding that
NAF finds it mischievous that anyone would spread such deliberate
misinformation whilst the service is doing its best to effectively
respond to the challenges facing the good people of Zamfara and its
environs.
NAF was reacting to some media reports insinuating that the
recent air strikes conducted by its Air Task Force for Operation
Diran Mikiya killed only innocent civilians in the areas attacked
and not bandits.
”The attention of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has been drawn to
some media reports insinuating that the recent air strikes
conducted by its Air Task Force for Operation Diran Mikiya killed
only innocent civilians in the areas attacked and not bandits.
”The NAF finds such reports rather ridiculous because most of
the locations attacked are within the Rugu, Sububu and Kagara
Forests general area, which are known bandits hideouts that have
been attacked in the past, without any outcry.
”Besides, the NAF target selection process for air operations is
particularly rigorous and methodical in order to ensure proper
target identification and thereby prevent strikes on wrong
locations,” he said.
According to him, the locations attacked from April 8 to 11 are
selected based on human intelligence (HUMINT) reports obtained from
security agencies and other government sources, traditional and
community leaders as well as reliable, vetted informants.
”In addition, NAF also has Special Forces (SF) personnel
operating in some of the areas attacked, who provided additional
intelligence.
”These were all further confirmed by days of detailed day and
night Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions
to ensure proper targeting for avoidance of collateral damage,” he
said.
The spokesman said to further ensure this, as standard practice,
NAF attack aircraft on air interdiction missions were accompanied
by ISR platforms that guided them to designated targets.
According to him, NAF pilots, by training and in line with
extant Rules of Engagement (ROEs) for the operation, do not attack
any location if it is observed that non-combatants, especially
women and children, are present.
”In such cases, the pilots would rather return to base with
their munitions unexpended. Consequently, it is inconceivable that
the NAF would attack locations where innocent civilians reside.
”In view of the foregoing, the NAF finds it rather mischievous
that anyone would spread such deliberate misinformation whilst the
service is doing its best to effectively respond to the challenges
facing the good people of Zamfara and its environs.
”Rather than making such spurious and unsubstantiated
allegations, NAF requests that anyone with evidence to the effect
that innocent civilians were targeted by the NAF air strikes should
produce such evidence,” he said.
Daramola said NAF, as a professional service, would not want to
join issues with any group of individuals, including traditional
rulers, but will rather remain committed to ensuring the safety and
security of all Nigerians.
Accordingly, he said NAF would continue to work assiduously, in
synergy with sister services and other security agencies, to rid
the North-west of all criminal elements.
He assured the general public that NAF would not be deterred but
would sustain its air operations to facilitate a return to normalcy
that would enable Nigerians in the area pursue their legitimate
aspirations.
”In this regard, the NAF hereby advocates public support, and
not distracting and unsubstantiated allegations, as its personnel
continue to sacrifice towards eliminating all threats to the
security and, indeed, the development of our beloved country,” he
said. (NAN)