The Federal Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai
Mohammed, has described as utterly tragic the accidental bombing of a civilian
community in Rann, Borno State, by a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) jet, causing
deaths and injuries, reports ITRealms.
In a press statement in Abuja on Wednesday, the Minister through
his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Adeyemi, sent his condolences to the
families of those who died in the unfortunate bombing and prays for quick
recovery for the injured.
Alhaji Mohammed, who recently led members of the BBOG and the
media to Yola, where the Air Component of the fight against Boko Haram is
based, said he was particularly saddened because the accidental bombing is not
a true reflection of the level of professionalism that he witnessed during the
visit
''One of the things we went away with after spending some two
days at the Tactical Air Command in Yola is the strict adherence to operational
guidelines and the high level of professionalism of the officers and men,
especially the young pilots who fly high-risk missions day and night.
''Among others, we witnessed pre- and post-mission briefings for
the pilots, the high attention paid to details, especially concerning
emergencies and weather, and the evacuation plan in case of accidents.
We heard that on several occasions during their sorties, fighter
pilots have had to hold their fire after observing the movement of women and
children in Sambisa. We also witnessed the same careful disposition when we
flew to Sambisa with the pilots.
''It therefore came to me as a rude shock to learn, a few hours
after leaving Yola, that one of the fighter jets has accidentally bombed
civilians, including aid workers,'' he said.
The Minister urged the NAF to continue to take the necessary
measures to avoid civilian casualties, as it carries out its challenging task
of keeping Nigerians safe
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