The League of Northern Democrats (LND) has strongly criticised recent airstrikes carried out by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) in Zamfara State, calling for restitution.
This came just as the Nigerian Air Force has embarked on a fact-finding mission to determine what really happened.
However, the Northern Democrats accused the military of operating under the guise of targeting insurgents while failing to prioritise civilian protection.
RELATED: Again, Accidental NAF Airstrike Kills 16 In Zamfara
In a statement issued yesterday and signed by its spokesperson, Dr Ladan Salihu it described the incidents as tragic and unacceptable, calling for accountability and compensation for the families affected.
“These incidents are just too many to be considered accidental,” Salihu said.
“They expose not only a failure in the NAF’s operational intelligence but also a disturbing lack of commitment to civilian protection, a fundamental tenet of military professionalism and ethics.”
The group called for decisive action from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the leadership of the Nigerian Armed Forces, urging them to restore public confidence in the military’s ability to act with professionalism and honour.
The LND demands independent investigations into all airstrikes resulting in civilian casualties.
“Court-martial proceedings for those responsible, conducted publicly to ensure transparency.
“A review of military strategy, including overhauling the NAF’s intelligence capabilities, improving precision targeting, and enhancing coordination with ground forces.
“The situation where our people are killed by terrorists and bandits and by our armed forces is unacceptable,” he said.
The group stressed that the success of the war on terrorism depends on public trust and urged the government to prioritise civilian protection to prevent resentment and mistrust.
“The ongoing war against terrorism cannot succeed if it erodes public trust and fuels resentment among the people it seeks to protect,” the statement read.
The LND expressed solidarity with the victims’ families and reiterated its commitment to holding the government accountable for protecting Nigerian lives.
“Failure to address these issues could undermine Nigeria’s fight against terrorism and threaten national stability”.
Meanwhile, the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has dispatched a fact-finding team to Zamfara to thoroughly investigate the incident of civilian casualties in airstrikes and provide a detailed report for further action.
A statement by the NAF spokesman, Air Vice Marshal Olusola Akinboyewa, said the dispatch followed public outcry over alleged civilian casualties in recent Nigerian Air Force airstrikes in Zamfara State.
He said the team, led by the Director of Coordination and Cooperation (DCC) in the Civil-Military Relations Branch of NAF Headquarters, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet, is to liaise and interface with State and local government officials as well as all other critical stakeholders for a holistic assessment of the situation and to drive the appropriate response.
He reiterated the NAF’s commitment to the highest level of professionalism and transparency in conducting operations in accordance with appropriate global standards.
He said, “Our absolute value for the life and well-being of every Nigerian remains an integral part of the Service’s ethos as we sustain the effort to defeat all threats to our nation’s peace, security, and prosperity.
Mindful also of the need to maintain public trust, which is germane to our operational effectiveness, we enjoin all stakeholders to rest assured that the NAF will continue to refine its operational procedures to ensure mission accomplishment while protecting civilians and civilian infrastructure,” he said.
