2023 Nasarawa Air Strike Not Intentional – NAF

Posted by Nwa Diokpa Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Friday, January 26th, 2024

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, has apologised to the Nasarawa State Government concerning the accidental air strike which caused the death of many residents of the Rukubi community in the Doma Local Government Area of the state in January 2023.
Abubakar stated this on Friday when he visited Governor Abdullahi Sule at the Government House, Lafia.

According to him, an intelligence report had been received by the NAF that some terrorists were seen on motorcycles in a location around the Rukubi community, but in trying to confront the terrorists with weapons, innocent civilians in the area lost their lives to the operation.

He said: “It is not news that the general area (Rukubi) at that time had been well known for its insecurity occasioned by kidnapping and terrorism. Within the period you would recall that six primary school pupils were also k.
“This necessitated the surveillance by the Nigerian Air Force within the period of time. Unfortunately, the airstrike killed some civilians at the location.

“Our interest in initiating ways and means in reaching out to the victims, their families, or their representatives is on the need to calm nerves and bring a close to the matter.”

The CAS further assured of the commitment of the NAF’s commitment to stop the menace of terrorism, banditry, cattle rustling, and kidnapping in Nasarawa State and Nigeria at large.

On his part, the governor applauded the NAF for owning up to its mistakes.

He said: “When the incident happened, I did not know how to handle it. I had to invite the Miyetti Allah leadership to come in and help me calm them.

“One of them, who is about 80 years old, made me shed tears because he said he had lost his nine children and about 80 cows to the airstrike. They all perished.

“He looked at me and said, I have nothing anymore here (on earth). I do not have children or cows. What do you want me to do Mr. Governor?, I looked at him and encouraged him to be patient, reminding him that he came to this world alone without any of those things and he will go back to the Almighty Allah one day without any of those things. That was how he stopped crying and became calm on the matter.”