The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has denied involvement in the air operations that killed several villagers in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
It was reported that a bomb accidentally dropped by NAF jet allegedly killed about 30 people during a Maulud celebration at Tudun Biri around 9:00 pm on Sunday.
Former lawmaker Senator Shehu Sani took to social media, calling for clarification from the Nigerian Air Force and Defense Information.
Sani had on Monday morning shared a post on his X handle indicating the occurrence of the incident.
According to Sani, “The translation of the post reveals that scores of people were killed yesterday by Ariel bombardment during a religious festival in a village near the Kaduna Airport. Clarification is needed CC @NigAirForce @DefenceInfoNG.”
Residents who spoke mentioned that the bomb struck as villagers gathered to observe Maulud.
“They were celebrating Maulud (birth of Prophet Muhammad) when the jet dropped the bomb, resulting in the immediate death of more than 30 people,” a resident said.
Samuel Aruwan, the Commissioner of the State Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, refrained from disclosing casualty figures and mentioned that the government would hold a press conference at the Government House to address the media.
“We will address the press at Government House on the situation because there will be a security meeting later. So, let’s meet by 10 am,” he said.
However, the Nigerian Air Force has released a statement refuting claims of conducting an operation that led to the killing of villagers in Kaduna state.
In a statement by its spokesman, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, NAF described the report as a misinformation.
The Nigerian Air Force categorically denied any engagement in air operations within Kaduna and its surroundings in the past 24 hours.
The statement read: “The news making the rounds aledging that Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft accidentally killed innocent civilians in Kaduna is false.
”Please be informed that the NAF has not carried out any air operations within Kaduna State and environs in the last 24 hours. Also, note that the NAF is not the only organization operating combat armed drones in the North western region of Nigeria.
”It is also important to ensure that due diligence is always exhausted by the media before going to press with unverified and unconfirmed reports.”
Kanyi Daily recalls that Shehu Sani likened merging People’s Democratic Party (PDP) with Labour Party (LP) supporters to fitting a Ferrari engine into a Peugeot vehicle.