Connect with us

Politics

NAF refutes Amnesty Int’l claims that pilot bombed, killed innocent Nigerians

Published

on

NAF refutes Amnesty Int’l claims that pilot bombed killed innocent Nigerians

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has described as unfair, and one sided, the claim by the Amnesty International (AI) that it usually employs use of ‘excessive’ and ‘unlawful‘ force in efforts to quell communal clashes in troubled areas of the country.

AI had in an earlier statement on Tuesday, alleged that raids carried out by the Nigerian Air Force on such troubled villages has led to deaths of innocent Nigerians, whom they are meant to protect.

The international body further accused the military, especially the Army, and the police as being complicit in attacks carried out by herdsmen against villagers, accusing the security forces of always refusing to act on intelligence reports usually provided before such attacks are carried out, and that in some instances, the attackers are seemingly given a free hand to operate.

But denying the report, NAF in a statement on Tuesday by its spokesman, Air Vice Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya, said that the claims by AI were lies and unfortunate.

The statement read, “To set the records straight, in the early hours of Dec. 4, 2017, a NAF Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance platform departed Maiduguri to conduct ISR over Numan general area.

“This was in response to a request by the General Officer Commanding 3 Armoured Division of the Nigerian Army, following reports of clashes around that location.

“Hundreds of people, mostly dressed in black attires, and who appeared armed, were sighted ransacking and setting a village on fire.

“In addition, the hoodlums set large portions of farmlands ablaze.

“Furthermore, some of the men were seen guiding livestock out of the village.

“Consequently, a NAF aircraft was called in to support the Nigerian Army and other relevant security agencies through ‘show of force’ low- level flights.”

The statement further claimed that the action of the NAF was meant to disperse the huge crowd in order to stop the ongoing carnage.

According to the statement, efforts to disperse the crowd was not yielding the desired effect, “Rather, the assailants started firing shots at the aircraft and continued with their dastardly act of burning houses within the settlement”.

NAF aircraft, “therefore has to fire shots ahead of the rampaging crowd when it became obvious that they were heading for Numan to inflict further damage.”

This intervention, the statement said made the hoodlums scatter and flee to a nearby bridge.

“Other low passes were conducted by NAF aircraft over the area to prevent the regrouping of the hoodlums around Numan and other villages.

“The hoodlums had set several villages on fire and much destruction had taken place before the arrival of NAF aircraft”.

The statement noted that the intervention of the NAF proved decisive in putting an end to the hoodlums’ rampaging activities.’’

On AI’s report, NAF said that it was unfortunate that an organisation of the “stature of Amnesty International would believe a ridiculous story that the pilot of an aircraft flying at a high speed would be able to distinguish between a herdsman and a local farmer before deciding which one to bomb.

“Indeed, at the time the NAF intervened in the crisis around Numan on Dec. 4, 2017, there were no two distinguishable groups clashing.

“Rather, only one group of hoodlums was seen unleashing mayhem on villages near Numan.

“At no time did the NAF Spokesman identify the hoodlums as herdsmen, as the pilots could not have possibly determined the identities of the hoodlums from thousands of feet in the air.

“It is significant to note that without the timely intervention of the NAF, nothing would have stopped the huge mass of hoodlums from burning down Numan, where they were obviously heading.

READ ALSO : Amnesty Int’l accuses Nigerian military of bombing, killing villagers as warning over communal clashes

“Had they succeeded, they would have killed several individuals and burnt or destroyed more properties.

“It is better imagined how many more lives would have been lost without the timely and wise intervention of the NAF.

“It is the responsibility of the NAF to defend Nigerian lives and the NAF could not have simply watched while lives were being taken and properties destroyed.

“It is regrettable that Amnesty International never made any attempt to find out NAF’s account of the events of the said date before making its allegations.

“The report by Amnesty International is therefore deemed to be unfair, one- sided and apparently aimed at embarrassing the NAF.’’

 

RipplesNigeria… without borders, without fears

Click here to join the Ripples Nigeria WhatsApp group for latest updates.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now