…Civilians not target
By JOHN NWOKOCHA, Abuja
The Nigerian military has defended the offensives on parts of Zamfara state, North-West Nigeria, saying the bombardments of terrorist elements were precise. Fielding questions by journalists on Thursday in Abuja, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Musa Danmadami said the Nigerian troops did not target civilians, but bandits and criminal elements, adding the operation was ‘precise’. He said further that the attack by the troops was combined operations which comprised ground and air components.
The Defence media spokesman’s reaction came amid concerns over allegation that dozens of civilians were casualties of Last Sunday’s military air assaults on the terrorists operating in Mutumji community in Maru Local Government the Area of Zamfara state.
Danmadami however said the Defence authorities have directed investigations into the attacks to ascertain “the level of collateral damage”. He said “the military is very professional in the way we carry out our operations”
Speaking in the same vein, the Director of Defence Information, Major General Jimmy Akpor said the military does not attack soft target, stating it is not part of military training to attack those it has obligation to protect and defend.
Akpor who was also responding to a question on reports claiming that soldiers in military uniforms attacked and killed scores of innocent civilians in Eha-Amufu, a community in Isi Uzo Local Government Area of Enugu state, early in December, said the report was not true. The alleged killer soldiers reportedly invaded the community shooting and maiming the residents and left in the wake, 16 people including women and children killed, several injured, while hundreds of survivors flee the community.
But refuting the reports, Akpor assures that the military will fish out the perpetrators.
Danmadami and Akpor who spoke during the bi-weeky media briefing on the operational activities of troops in various theatres of operation also used the occasion to assure on adequate security across the country during the Yuletide and New Year celebrations. “We are not going on break or holidays”, they said.
