The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) announced on Monday that it has initiated an investigation into allegations of civilian casualties following a reported mistaken bombing in the Jika da Kolo community of Yadin Kidandan, Giwa Local Government Area (LGA) in Kaduna State.
Residents of the community claimed that a NAF aircraft mistakenly targeted them, resulting in the deaths of over 25 people.
In response, NAF Deputy Director of Public Relations and Information, Group Captain Kabiru Ali, stated, “Thorough investigation is currently ongoing to ascertain the facts with a view to keeping the populace informed in due course.”
The NAF emphasized that the airstrike, conducted on a location identified as a terrorist enclave, was based on “credible intelligence from numerous reliable sources, as well as confirmatory surveillance of the target area before the strike.
” The statement further noted, “The said location has been notorious as a terrorist enclave for over 2 years and the successful airstrike would no doubt go a long way in minimizing banditry, kidnapping and similar attacks on innocent civilians in Kaduna State and environs.”
Despite the operational goals, the NAF underscored its commitment to avoiding collateral damage, asserting that it takes such allegations seriously.