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Numana Air Raids: Amnesty International's Allegations Baseless, One-sided, Says Nigerian Air Force

January 30, 2018

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has described unfounded allegations of repeated human rights violations in villages around Numan in Adamawa State leveled against it by Amnesty International (AI) as baseless.

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has described unfounded allegations of repeated human rights violations in villages around Numan in Adamawa State leveled against it by Amnesty International (AI) as baseless.                

NAF's position was expressed via a statement signed by Air Vice-Marshal Olatokunbo Adesanya, its director of Public Relations.

NAF was responding to a statement issued by AI on Monday. In the statement, the human rights organization accused NAF of killing villagers through air raids at the same time their communities were under attack by Fulani herdsmen, a claim NAF denied.                              

"It is very unfortunate that a highly respected international organization such as Amnesty International would make such unfounded allegations. At no time has the NAF been involved in settling any 'herdsmen-farmers' clash in the Numan general area as alleged by Amnesty International. It is particularly disturbing that an organization of the stature of Amnesty International would believe a ridiculous story that the pilot of an aircraft flying at a high speed would be able to distinguish between a herdsman and a local farmer before deciding which one to bomb,” said NAF.

It denied ever intervening in the crisis around Numan on 4 December 2017, stating that there were no two distinguishable groups involved in the clash. Instead, it said, only one group of was seen attacking villages near Numan.                               

"The NAF remains a highly professional organization, which places a high value on respect for human rights, and therefore categorically states that the allegations by Amnesty International are lies. In actual fact, the intervention of the NAF in the Numan crisis of 4 December 2017 resulted in the successful dispersal of a group of hoodlums who were setting some villages around Numan on fire," the force maintained.

In the early hours of 4 December 2017, said NAF, its Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platform departed Maiduguri to conduct ISR over Numan general area. This, explained the Force, was in response to a request by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Armoured Division of the Nigerian Army (NA).                                  

The move was a sequel to the receipt of reports of clashes around that location.

"Hundreds of people mostly dressed in black attires and who appeared armed were sighted ransacking and setting a village on fire. In addition, the hoodlums set large portions of farmlands ablaze. Furthermore, some of the men were seen guiding livestock out of the village. Consequently, a NAF aircraft was called in to support the army and other relevant security agencies through ‘show of force’ low-level flights," explained NAF.        

The action, the statement further explained,  was aimed at dispersing the crowd of assailants and halting the carnage that had unfolded.            

After several low flights, added NAF, the hoodlums refused to disperse, but started shooting at the aircraft and continued burning houses within the community.

According to NAF, the aircraft had to fire shots ahead of the assailants when it became obvious that they were heading for Numan to cause further damage. Following the intervention, the Force said the hoodlums fled to a nearby bridge, after which the NAF aircraft conducted more low flights to prevent them from regrouping around Numan and other villages.    

"It is important to state that the hoodlums had set several villages on fire and much destruction had taken place before the arrival of NAF aircraft. Nevertheless, the intervention of the NAF proved decisive in putting an end to the hoodlums’ rampaging activities. At no time did the NAF spokesman identify the hoodlums as herdsmen, as the pilots could not have possibly determined the identities of the hoodlums from thousands of feet in the air. Additionally, the NAF spokesman has never revised the accounts of the events of the day with any media house," NAF stated.

It equally said without its intervention, the brigands would have succeeded in burning down Numan and kill for fun in the community, where they were obviously headed.                    

In addition, NAF explained that it is its responsibility to defend the lives of Nigerians and could not have simply watched while lives were being taken and properties destroyed.    

"It is regrettable that Amnesty International never made any attempt to find out NAF’s account of the events of the said date before making its allegations. The report by Amnesty International is therefore deemed to be unfair, one-sided, and apparently aimed at embarrassing the NAF. Clearly, the NAF will continue to sustain efforts at ensuring security within the nation and will not be discouraged from discharging its constitutional responsibilities of protecting the lives and properties of all Nigerians," said NAF.

The force restated that it was never involved in the resolution of any “herdsmen-farmers” clash in the Numan general area, denied that it set villages ablaze and stated that its aircraft was not used to kill anyone around Numan during the crisis. 

NAF challenged AI to produce credible evidence to substantiate its allegations that NAF air attacks led to the destruction in the villages as well as loss of lives. Should AI fail to produce the evidence demanded, added NAF, it should retract its allegations.

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