ZAMFARA: Air Force denies ignoring distress calls, says team was already on ground

The Nigerian Air Force has denied claims by the Emir of Bungudu, Hassan Attahiru, that the force ignored distress calls put through when bandits were ravaging communities under his control.

Attahiru had made the accusation in an interview with Punch, where he revealed that bandits recently stormed his domain in broad daylight and killed 15 people.

However, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, in a statement on Wednesday stated that the commander in the area did not ignore distress calls from the traditional rulers.

He said troops were deployed to attend to the security situation in the Bungudu Local Government Area of Zamfara State, adding that the bandits had fled by the time its troops deployed arrived the location.

READ ALSO: Buhari talks tough on killings in Zamfara, Katsina, others, orders military to wipe out bandits

Daramola, said, “The NAF received information about the attack on Makwa Village from the Headquarters, Operation Sharan Daji, at 19.34 hours on Saturday, April 27, even before the Local Government Area Chairman called the NAF commander.

“A team of NAF Special Forces personnel was therefore immediately dispatched to Makwa, which is about 12Km off the road into the forest, with barely motorable tracks.

“As of the time the Bungudu LGA Chairman called, the Commander informed him, without any acrimony or recriminations that the NAF team was already on its way to the village.

“However, by the time the Special Forces team arrived and surgically stormed the village, to avoid attacking innocent civilians, the bandits had already fled.

“The NAF, as a professional service, remains committed to ensuring the safety and security of all Nigerians. Accordingly, we shall continue to work assiduously, in synergy with sister services and other security agencies to rid the North-West of all criminal elements.”

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