Skip to main content

Zamfara emirs apologise to NAF, say air strikes killed innocents ‘mistakenly’

                                   NAF Jet used to illustrate the story
The Chairman, Zamfara State Council of Chiefs, Attahiru Ahmad, has apologised to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) over its recent allegations that innocent citizens were killed in the state during air strikes by personnel of the Air Force.
The Chairman Council of Chiefs, who is also the Emir of Anka, made the apology when a seven-man high powered investigation team led by Idi Lubo visited him at his palace in Anka on Saturday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the traditional rulers had, a fortnight ago, alleged that air strikes on suspected bandits camps hit at and killed innocent citizens in some parts of the state.
The emirs spoke at a press briefing through the Emir of Bungudu, Hassan Attahiru.
This followed an emergency meeting they held in reaction to an earlier accusation by the Minister of Defence, Mansur Ali, that some high ranking traditional rulers were conniving with the bandits.
“Out of the 17 emirate councils that we have in the state, mistakes occurred in only four and the submissions we made were gathered in the last two years, l also want to state that nothing happened on innocent citizens in the last six months in the state,” he said.
While speaking on the list of killed persons that was later released by the Emir of Bungudu, the Chairman of the Council of Chiefs said: “The Emir of Bungudu is not the spokesman of the council even though he read our press briefing that day.
“The list of victims that he released to the press on a later day did not emanate from me nor was I aware of it as the chairman, l will only take responsibility because l am the chairman”.
He then assured that the traditional council would continue to support security agencies in the fight against armed banditry in the state. He urged the army to go and occupy deserted villages where some of the bandits were hiding.
Earlier, leader of the team, Idi Lubo, said the team was in the state to investigate the true position of the allegations in order to avoid future occurrences.
“We have also come with condolence letter from the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Sadique Abubakar, in case some innocent people were killed in our encounter with bandits.”
NAN reports that the team was taken round stakeholders by the Commander of the 207 Quick Response Group in the state, Sunkanmi Thomas. (NAN)

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Man remanded for allegedly defiling minor

                                                  An Ado-Ekiti Magistrates’ Court yesterday remanded a 33-year-old man, Uchenna Igbwe, in prison custody, for alleged defilement of a minor. Magistrate Omolola Akosile did not take the plea of the accused, as there was no legal representative to stand for him. She referred the matter to the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for legal advice, and adjourned the case till July 2 for mention. The accused, whose address was not provided, is standing trial on a one-count charge of child defilement. Prosecutor Monica Ikebuilo told the court the accused committed the offence on May 14 in Ado-Ekiti. She alleged the accused lured the four-year-old girl and defiled her. Ikebuilo said the offe...

Gunmen kidnap Cross River Senator's personal assistant, demand N10 Million ransom

                                                       Unknown gunmen have kidnapped Mr Umera Umera, the Personal Assistant to Senator Gershom Bassey, Senator representing Cross River State Southern Senatorial District. It was gathered that the incident occurred in Umera's home at Jebbs area of Calabar South,  on Thursday night. According to reports, the gunmen invaded the area, shooting sporadically before abducting the senator’s PA into a speed boat through Anantigha water side. The gunmen are demanding a ransom of N10 million before Umera can be released. Speaking to journalists,  Senator Bassey assured that Mr Umera would be rescued from the kidnappers.

Photos of Prince Philip drives himself again just two days after he suffered a car crash in Sandringham

Prince Philip, 97, is back behind the wheels only two days after he got involved in a car crash that left two women and a 10-month-old child injured. Prince Philip was injured in Thursday's accident after he was "dazzled by the sun" while driving his Land Rover near the Royal family's Sandringham Estate. This caused him to collide with a Kia carrying two women and an infant. His vehicle turned over and he had to be helped out by an eyewitness. On Saturday, the Duke of Edinburgh was spotted again behind the wheels of a replacement Land Rover and without wearing his seatbelt. Just one day earlier, his wife, Queen Elizabeth, 92, was also spotted driving herself in a Range Rover close to where Prince Philip's accident occurred. Some photos show her driving without her seatbelt on while she was seen wearing her seatbelt in some.