EXCLUSIVE: How Nigerian Military Responded to Airstrikes in Niger, Nasarawa – Sources
Credible intelligence sources have explained why the Nigerian military is yet to comment on two ‘miscalculated’ airstrike operations in Niger and Nasarawa States, some few days ago.
According to the military intelligence sources, since the officials of Niger and Nasarawa States reacted and issued statements on the incidents, there is little for the military to say, for some obvious reasons.
“You know Governors are the Chief Security Officers of their States. They know and are very well informed about the security situations of their respective States.
“So, it’s not as if we are silent. We are afraid of joining issues with any group to avoid distractractions. But the thing is, we are also not unmindful of how the incidents accidentally occurred.
“However, we are discreetly investigating some of the issues around the two ‘unfortunate’ incidents,” one of the sources, a military intelligence operative, said.
The source, meanwhile told PRNigeria in a phone interview, that the troops have since put the ‘ugly incident’ behind them, and have increased the tempo of their operation against bandit-terrorists, in the North Central and West.
“Before the incidents, ground troops and the air taskforce recorded several successes in similar operations even this month against bandits and terrorists in the same axes of both states.
“The joint taskforce even provided security covers when innocent victims were being conveyed to health facilities after the miscalculations.
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“In fact, we killed scores of terrorists in Niger and Nasarawa States on the day the miscalculated airstrikes were executed before the unfortunate incidences. And many others, afterwards,” he said.
Also, the Director, Defence Media Operations, Major General Musa Danmadami, at a bi-weekly briefing of the military last Thursday, assured that their Nigerian military military will continue to go about its duties professionally.
Danmadami said, “On Nasarawa and Benue, we are not going to dwell on the issue; we will leave it the way it is.
“We are not going to join issues with anybody on those incidents.The chief executive officers of those states have spoken on the matter. We are not going to talk much about this issue.
“Like I said earlier, operations are being carried out in the length and breadth of the country, so I do not want to dwell on this incident or what is being reported in the press.
“But what I can tell you is that we are very professional in the conduct of our operations They are also intelligence-driven.
“Also, our code of conduct and standard of operation are in tandem with international best practices. I can assure you that we would continue to conduct operations in line with this, irrespective of what people are saying.
“For Nasarawa and Benue, the governor has spoken on the issue and we would not want to go contrary to what he has said. If there are subsequent issues that you will definitely hear from us.”
PRNigeria reports that last week, there were miscalculated airstrikes at Galadima Kogo community of Shiroro local government area of Niger State and at Kwatiri village in the Doma Local Government Area of Niger state.
The strikes that were targeted at terrorists also affected local vigilantes and herders in both communities in the two states.”
By PRNigeria
