Assault On Bandits: NAF To Discipline Erring Officers

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has promised to sanction any of its officers found  to have flogged and physically assaulted bandits in at Shinkafi Local Government Area (LGA) in Zamfara State.

Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, who is NAF’s  spokesman, said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

This follows reactions from a video and some pictures circulating on some social media and online platforms showing some military personnel flogging suspected armed bandits in the area.

The NAF decided to issue the release on discovery that some of its personnel were part of the joint team on duty at the Galadi Sub-Sector in the state at the time.

The statement read in part: “The NAF wishes to state unequivocally that the troops’ actions of flogging and physically assaulting the disarmed suspects were totally unacceptable and not in consonance with the Standing Operating Procedures (SOPs) guiding the conduct of the operation.

” Our personnel have always been directed to respect the rights of innocent civilians as well as captured combatants, no matter the provocation.

” The joint team had, sequel to intelligence reports, intercepted a group of suspected armed bandits, including some fighters from across the border, at their Sububu Forest hideout whilst they were on the verge of executing an attack against innocent civilians in Shinkafi.

” In the process, the team recovered one AK-47 rifle along with 3 loaded magazines and 3 dane guns from the bandits.

” In an effort to obtain further information on the criminals’ plans and the location of their armoury, the troops employed unauthorized, crude corporal methods.

” The public is to please note that the NAF has zero tolerance for such human rights violations and has since initiated appropriate action to address the anomaly.

” In this regard, a Board of Inquiry (BOI) has been set up by the Headquarters Special Operations Command (HQ SOC) to determine the remote and immediate causes of the incident with a view to ensuring that appropriate disciplinary action is taken against all NAF personnel found culpable.”

The spokesman said the public would be kept informed on the outcome of the investigations.

He said the NAF, as an organisation, remained a professional fighting force that would continue to operate within the ambits of all relevant laws and procedures.

Daramola said the NAF would also continue to operate in line with international best practices, while remaining fully accountable to the Nigerian people.