Banditry: Zamfara monarchs, NAF bicker on ‘misdirected’ air strikes

Zamfara  Council  of Chiefs, on Thursday, said many innocent villagers have been killed in misdirected air strikes  by the military in the ongoing fight against bandits in the state.
The Emir of Bungudu, Alhaji Hassan Attahiru, made the disclosure at the end of an emergency meeting of the council, on Thursday in Gusau.
“The Council noted that airstrikes undertaken by the military do not hit the main camps of the bandits.
“Reports from Mutu in Gusau and Tsafe Local government areas, Tangaram in Anka local government and Dumburum in Zurmi local area among others are that the areas shelled were not the actual hideouts of the bandits and the victims were innocent civilians.”
The council said that efforts to end banditry in the state would only be achieved “if the main camps of the bandits are taken over and security personnel stationed there for a considerable period of time.
“This will deprive the bandits territory, mobility and supply routes, thus securing all surrounding areas.”
On the recent allegation of connivance with bandits by some traditional rulers made by Defence Minister, Mansur Dan’Ali, the council challenged the minister to immediately name the traditional rulers or withdraw the statement.
“Failure to do this will make his statement false and an attempt to tarnish the image of the traditional rulers and thereby making them scapegoats for the inability of the military and other security forces to end the scourge.”
The council maintained that the traditional rulers had always cooperated with government and security agencies in providing information on location, routes and names of persons engaged in such criminal activities.
“Unfortunately, the military and other security agencies have failed to be on top of the situation.
“We will not shield anyone and we will want any suspect, however highly placed, to be arrested and prosecuted, ” the council maintained.
The state government had late last year suspended seven district heads with one other still on the run over alleged conspiracy with bandits in the state.
The meeting, chaired by council Chairman and Emir of Anka, Alhaji Ahmad Muhammad, was attended by all the emirs in the state.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has called on anyone with evidence that innocent civilians were targetted by the NAF during its recent air strikes in Zamfara, to produce such evidence.
Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, made the request in a statement on Friday in Abuja.
He urged anyone with such evidence to produce it.
Daramola said the NAF finds it mischievous that anyone would spread such deliberate misinformation whilst the Service is doing its best to effectively respond to the challenges facing the good people of Zamfara and its environs.
The NAF was reacting to some media reports insinuating 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 attention of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has been drawn to some media reports insinuating 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.
According to him,  the locations attacked from April 8 to 11 are selected based on human intelligence (HUMINT) reports obtained from security agencies and other government sources, traditional and community leaders as well as reliable, vetted informants.
“In addition, NAF also has Special Forces (SF) personnel operating in some of the areas attacked, who provided additional intelligence.
”These were all further confirmed by days of detailed day and night Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions to ensure proper targeting for avoidance of collateral damage,” he said.
The spokesman said to further ensure this, as standard practice, 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.
”In such cases, the pilots would rather return to Base with their munitions unexpended.
”Consequently, it is inconceivable that the NAF would attack locations where innocent civilians reside.
”In view of the foregoing, the NAF finds it rather mischievous that anyone would spread such deliberate misinformation whilst the Service is doing its best to effectively respond to the challenges facing the good people of Zamfara and its environs.
”Rather than making such spurious and unsubstantiated allegations, NAF requests that anyone with evidence to the effect that innocent civilians were targeted by the NAF air strikes should produce such evidence,” he said.
Daramola said the NAF, as a professional Service, would not want to join issues with any group of individuals, including traditional rulers, but will rather remain committed to ensuring the safety and security of all Nigerians.
Accordingly, he said NAF would continue to work assiduously, in synergy with sister Services and other security agencies, to rid the North West of all criminal elements.
He assured the general public that the NAF would not be deterred but would sustain its air operations to facilitate a return to normalcy that would enable Nigerians in the area pursue their legitimate aspirations.
”In this regard, the NAF hereby advocates public support, and not distracting and unsubstantiated allegations, as its personnel continue to sacrifice towards eliminating all threats to the security and, indeed, the development of our beloved country,” he said.