Nigeria’s air force says it is now investigating reports that shots fired from one of its aircraft killed civilians in the north-east of the country.
In a statement it retracted its earlier denial, which we reported on, saying it was based on incorrect reports that those who died were killed in a bombing adding that the aircraft involved was not carrying any bombs.
Spokesperson Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet said that there had been intelligence reports of militant activity and an aircraft was sent to respond in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
“The aircraft while operating south of Kanama observed suspicious movement consistent with Boko Haram terrorists’ behaviour whenever a jet aircraft is overhead,” he wrote in the statement.
“Accordingly, the pilot fired some probing shots…
“Unfortunately reports reaching the Nigerian Air Force Headquarters alleged that some civilians were erroneously killed while others were injured.”
Reports on Wednesday said unspecified numbers of civilians had been killed and a dozen others wounded after “a military aircraft struck” parts of a village called Buhari in Yobe state.
Residents told the BBC that the aircraft fired on the village killing many people, including an entire family and injuring about 19 others.
In 2017, dozens were mistakenly killed as a result of a militaryairstrike that hit a camp for displaced people in Rann.
Source: BBC
