The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has claimed there is no credible evidence to support reports that 16 civilians were killed during an airstrike targeting insurgents in Tungar Kara, Maradun LGA of Zamfara state.
On Sunday, the NAF said the air strikes, conducted under Operation Fansan Yamma on January 10 was a “devastatingly well-coordinated air-ground assault” targeting banditry in the state.
However, reports had emerged from the community alleging that 16 residents, including members of the Zamfara Community Protection Guard (ZCPG) and vigilantes, were mistakenly killed during the operation.
In a report, Zagazola Makama, a counter-insurgency publication focused on the Lake Chad region quoted intelligence sources as saying the vigilantes were misidentified as bandits after gunmen fled the area.
“So far, 16 dead bodies have been retrieved, but the total number of casualties is not yet clear,” the report noted.
Meanwhile, Olusola Akinboyewa, NAF’s director of public relations and information, denied the allegations, stating that the air force employs “every possible measure to prevent, minimise and mitigate harm to civilians in the conduct of operations”.
He added that the reports might be “emanating from terrorists and their sympathisers as a way of discrediting the military with propaganda, seeing they are now increasingly on the receiving end”.
Akinboyewa said there was no credible report of civilian casualties and that the airstrikes were based on reliable intelligence.
“Nevertheless, please remain assured that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) operations against bandits, terrorists and other similar threats are conducted based on credible, reliable intel drawn form multiple verifiable sources and subject to further confirmatory analysis,” he said.
“The air component of Operation Fansan Yamma carried out the airstrikes in question to repel ongoing bandit attacks on villages in the area.
“As of date, we have not received any credible reports of civilian casualties being involved in this instance. As events unfold, members of the public would be kept informed as might become necessary.”
