NAF Responds To Alleged Bombing Of Wrong Targets

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has expressed reactions to the allegation that the force had targeted innocent civilians in the recent air strikes in Zamfara.

Naija News reports that the NAF has asked for evidence to back up such claims as the Force has also called on anyone with evidence that innocent civilians were targeted by the NAF, to come up and produce such evidence.

The NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, made the request in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

The 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.

Recall that Naija News had also reported that some traditional rulers in the state had also thrown their weights behind the allegation against the NAF.

But while reacting to the” 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.

” 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 the avoidance of collateral damage,” he said.