The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has denied claims that its airstrikes targeting terrorist hideouts, including locations associated with notorious bandit leader Bello Turji, caused civilian casualties in Zamfara State.
Earlier reports alleged that the airstrike, carried out on Saturday evening in the Tungar Kara community within the Gidan Goga district of Maradun Local Government Area, inadvertently struck members of the Zamfara Community Protection Guard (ZCPG), local vigilantes, and residents, resulting in at least 16 fatalities.
Maharazu Salisu Gado Faru, a lawmaker representing Maradun II Constituency in the Zamfara State House of Assembly, confirmed the incident, describing it as an accidental strike that mistakenly targeted local vigilantes mobilized to confront bandits.
Responding to the incident, NAF spokesperson AVM Akinboyewa in a Sunday statement refuted the claim, stating, “We take every precaution to prevent harm to civilians during operations. The reports may be propaganda from terrorists seeking to undermine the military’s success.”
While confirming an investigation is underway to ascertain the truth of these claims, Akinboyewa emphasised that no credible evidence supports reports of civilian casualties.
“Our operations are guided by reliable intelligence from multiple verifiable sources, and no civilian casualties have been confirmed at this time,” he added.
NAF issued a statement titled, “NAF Conducts Decisive Air Strikes in Zamfara, Investigating Vigilante Casualty Reports.”
The statement emphasized that recent airstrikes in Tungar Kara effectively neutralized bandits and facilitated the rescue of kidnapped victims, reaffirming the Nigerian Air Force’s commitment to ensuring civilian safety and security during its operations.