The 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.
In a statement in Abuja on Wednesday,
the Minister sends 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
Segun Adeyemi
SA to Hon Minister of Information and
Culture
Abuja
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