NAF Admits It Carried Out Airstrike That Killed 39 Civilians In Nasarawa
The Nigerian Air Force has admitted to conducting an airstrike in Nasarawa state that killed 39 civilians.
According to a report by Human Rights Watch (HRW), the NAF has finally accepted responsibility for the fatal airstrike on the Nasarawa village of Kwatiri.
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In January 2023, it was reported that the airstrike resulted in the deaths of at least 27 people.
According to the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), the airstrike occurred after the herders went to retrieve 1,250 of their cows that had been impounded by Benue livestock guards.
A day after the accident, the governor of Nasarawa, Abdullahi Sule, stated that the explosion in Kwatiri was not caused by a NAF aircraft.
According to his investigation, “no air force plane flew through the area,” and the bombing was carried out by a drone whose operators remain unknown.
Nearly six months after the incident, the NAF has provided little information about it.
The human rights organisation stated that the military’s inexcusable delay in admitting responsibility for the deaths of dozens of civilians exacerbates the tragedy of the attack.
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The report adds that NAF should compensate the victims and bereaved families financially.
“In response to an inquiry from Human Rights Watch, the Nigerian air force admitted for the first time that the airstrike had occurred.
“According to the report, it was an air component of Operation Whirl Stroke, a joint military, police, and Department of State Security operation launched in response to security issues in and around Nasarawa state.
“The air force claimed it carried out the airstrike in response to suspected terrorist activities, but provided no further details,” the report states in part.
“In a response dated May 17, Air Commodore D. D. Pwajok acknowledged, on behalf of the chief of air staff, that the air force conducted the strike in Nasarawa state based on credible intelligence and in coordination with other security forces and agencies.
“According to the letter, air force surveillance footage revealed the movement of suspected terrorists who congregated around a truck believed to be a logistics vehicle that arrived at the location at night and was identified as the target of the airstrike.
“The letter did not address key questions, such as how information regarding the suspected threat was evaluated and verified, whether efforts were made to investigate and verify the identity of those targeted, or whether any assessment was conducted prior to the airstrike to avoid or mitigate civilian casualties.
“The lack of information raises the question of whether or not the air force conducted the airstrike on the basis of mere suspicion. The letter concluded that the Nigerian air force is committed to upholding human rights and is willing to engage in further discussions on the subject.
Since 2017, it is reported that more than 300 people have been killed by airstrikes that the Nigerian air force claims were aimed at bandits or Boko Haram terrorists.
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