By DANJUMA JOSEPH, Lafia –
The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, has expressed the determination and commitment of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and other security agencies in the country to partner state governments in the north central states to end the scourge of banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling.
He stated this when he paid a courtesy call to the Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, at the Government House in Lafia, on Friday.
And Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar and Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule during a courtesy visit at the Government House, Lafia
Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar and Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule during a courtesy visit at the Government House, LafiaThe Chief of Air staff disclosed that he and his team were in the state to condole with the government and families of persons killed by the accidental airstrike in Rukubi on January 26, 2023, and to interface with them over the incident.
He said that a review of the incident was carried out following public outcry and complaints by some well-meaning Nigerians that some civilians may have been killed during the incident.
According to him, after the review, it was discovered that scores of civilians were accidentally killed during the airstrike, saying the military which is mandated to protect citizens could turn around and kill them, regretted that the action was not deliberate.
Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar and Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule during a courtesy visit at the Government House, LafiaThe chief of Air staff said that the airstrike was necessitated following a surveillance report by ‘Operation Wirldstroke’ that some terrorists were sighted on motorcycles in the Rukubi area of Doma local government to carry out their nefarious activities.
Air marshal Abubakar while regretting the incident, said that the Nigerian Air Force and other sister security agencies in the country would be more professional in their operations to avoid accidental airstrikes on civilians.
Responding, Nasarawa state governor, Abdullahi Sule, lauded the chief of Air staff for the visit and pledged the willingness of his administration to partner the Nigerian Air Force and other security agencies to check banditry, kidnapping and cattle rustling in the state.
He said that the state government had provided some resources to support the families of the Rukubi ill-fated airstrikes to ameliorate the impact of the incident.
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