The Nigerian Air Force has warned that officers who are caught in the act of violating human rights or disrespecting civilians illegally, would be sanctioned accordingly.
The statement came as a reaction to a video being circulated online, condemning the acts of some officers of the Air Force on some Nigerians in Zamfara state.
The officers could be seen flogging and assaulting the civilians who were branded as armed bandits in the Shinkafi Local Government Area in the state.
In a bid to condemn such acts, the spokesperson of NAF, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, explained that the officers of the force have always been advised to “respect the rights of innocent civilians as well as captured combatants, no matter the provocation”.
Daramola, in the reaction statement, stated, “The NAF has discovered that some of its personnel were part of the joint team stationed at the Galadi Sub-Sector at the time. “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 NAF, as an organization, remains a professional fighting force that would continue to operate within the ambit of all relevant laws and procedures.”
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