Joseph Bakare
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has dispatched a fact-finding team to Zamfara to fully investigate the incident and provide a detailed report for further action.
This follows reported incidence of civilian casualties in the recent Nigerian Air Force (NAF) airstrikes in Zamfara State.
The Team, led by Air Vice Marshal Edward K Gabkwet, Director of Coordination and Cooperation (DCC) in the Civil-Military Relations Branch of NAF Headquarters, will liaise and interface with State and Local Government officials as well as all other critical stakeholders, for a holistic assessment of the situation with a view to driving the appropriate response.
The CAS reiterated the NAF’s commitment to the highest level of professionalism and transparency in the conduct of operations, in line with appropriate global standards, adding, “Our absolute value for the life and well-being of every Nigerian remains an integral part of the ethos of the Service, as we sustain the effort to defeat all threats to our nation’s peace, security and prosperity. Mindful also of the need to maintain public trust, which is germane to our operational effectiveness, we enjoin all stakeholders to rest assured that the NAF will continue to refine its operational procedures to ensure mission accomplishment, while protecting civilians and civilian infrastructure.”