The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has denied bombing innocent civilians in its recent air strikes in Zamfara, and that anyone with evidence to the contrary should produce evidence.
NAF spokesman, Ibikunle Daramola, in a statement on Friday, was reacting to reports suggesting 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.
The spokesman also said the locations attacked from April 8 to 11 were selected based on human intelligence reports from security agencies, government sources, traditional and community leaders, and reliable informants.
He also said that to ensure civilians are not targeted, 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.
