Dauda Lawal, the governor of Zamfara State, stated on Wednesday that the recent military bombing in the northwestern state was not intentional.
A military attack on Tungar Kara in Zamfara State’s Maradun Local Government Area killed over 16 civilians.
Lawal made this statement during a television appearance in which he expressed his condolences to the victims’ families.
“It was not intentional. It was in the process of fighting these bandits that they were struck,” he said.
“The Chief of Air Staff has set up a committee to commiserate with the state government as well as the people that were affected. They also went there yesterday to do an on-the-spot assessment to see who was involved and what happened to guide against future occurrences.”
He stated he was aware of the military action prior to the catastrophe and had personally invited the Air Force to eliminate some outlaws threatening the region.
During the presentation, he expressed hope that the military would be able to combat bandit activity in one month.
The governor stated that the days of legendary bandit leader Bello Turji are numbered and that he will be removed shortly, just as other bandits before him have been neutralized.
On January 11, a military air attack ripped through the Tungar Kara hamlet in Zamfara State’s Maradun Local Government Area, killing more than 16 people.
Worried by the situation, the Nigerian Air Force deployed a fact-finding team to investigate the recent military airstrikes tragedy in the state.
The team met with Governor Lawal on Tuesday at the Government House in Gusau.
