No fewer than 16 vigilantes were reportedly killed in an airstrike in Kakindawa village, Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
An indigene of the area, Garba Umar, told The PUNCH that the incident occurred on Saturday evening when the village’s vigilante group was on its way to assist neighbours in Tungar Kara village, who had been attacked by bandits.
NAF spokesman, AVM Olusola Akinboyewa, did not reply to a message from The PUNCH on Sunday seeking his comment on the alleged accidental airstrikes.
He, however, released a statement, stating that troops of Operation Fansan Yamma carried out a coordinated air and ground assault on Fakai Hills in Zamfara State, neutralising scores of bandits loyal to notorious kingpin, Kachallah Bello Turji.
But Zamfara State Governor, Lawal Dauda’s spokesman, Sulaiman Bala, confirmed both the NAF operations and the civilian casualties.
Bala said, “We have received multiple positive reports of precision strikes carried out by the Air Component of Operation Fansar Yamma over the weekend in troubled Maradun and Zurmi local government areas.
“This intervention by the military has significantly degraded the operational capacity of the bandits and has shown the commitment of the Nigeria Air Force to carrying out its constitutional mandate of protecting civilians and safeguarding the lives and property of the people.”
