Air Force delegates admitted to killing innocent residents; we never apologised to them

The allegations of killing innocent citizens in air strikes levied against the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) by Emirs in Zamafara state took a new turn on Monday as when the traditional rulers dismissed media reports that they have apologised for their wrong accusation.

There were media reports over the weekend that the traditional rulers have realised their errors with the dead victims, and apologise to the NAF.

But the chairman of the state Council of Chiefs, Alhaji Attahiru Ahmad, the Emir of Anja, insisted that there was nothing of such.

He said, “I received an entourage led by Air Vice Marshall Idi Lubo, who was in the state to condole and sympathised with the entire people of the state over a mistake made by NAF that consumed innocent lives.

“In my remarks, there was no where I apologised that NAF mistakenly killed innocent lives during its bombardments on targeted camps operated by bandits across some villages in the state recently but, I rather used words of respect as did by the August visitor which had been our tradition when receiving guests.

“Our council meeting had, based on credible reports, believed that the killings of innocent people had occurred and we stand by our position. If later, I would come back to make a U-turn on that matter then, I should not remain as Emir,” he said.

Attahiru also said that the NAF had accepted that the air strikes hit the wrong target.

Howeve, the NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, insists that, “We will not take issue with esteemed royal fathers and traditional rulers. We follow the due process to ensure that it is only the criminals that are taken out by the air strikes. We remain resolute and we will continue our operations.”