News
NAF Chief Visits Zamfara Airstrike Victims, Takes Responsibility
NAF Chief Visits Zamfara Airstrike Victims, Takes Responsibility
By: Our Reporter
The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has visited Zamfara State to meet with victims and families affected by the recent Nigerian Air Force (NAF) airstrike, expressing deep regret over the tragic incident.
During his visit on Thursday, the CAS acknowledged the grief and pain suffered by the victims, their families, and the entire community, describing the event as a painful departure from the NAF’s commitment to protecting Nigerian citizens.
Abubakar also met with Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, where he reaffirmed the NAF’s dedication to safeguarding lives and ensuring that such incidents are minimized.
He commended the governor’s leadership and commitment to the state’s 6-Point Development Agenda, which prioritizes security, agriculture, education, healthcare, economic empowerment, and welfare.
Providing an account of the airstrike, the CAS said intelligence reports on January 11 indicated the movement of suspected terrorists on motorcycles through Dangebe Village in Maradun Local Government Area. The area had been targeted a day earlier as part of efforts to neutralize terrorist elements loyal to Bello Turji, a notorious bandit leader.
“Further surveillance confirmed the presence of armed motorcyclists whose movements matched the tactics of terrorist groups operating in the region,” he explained.
However, reports later emerged that the strike may have mistakenly killed members of a local vigilante group returning from a successful operation against terrorists.
Following these allegations, Abubakar said he immediately deployed a fact-finding team to assess the situation in collaboration with relevant stakeholders. Their findings confirmed that 11 members of the vigilante group were unintentionally killed, while another 11 sustained injuries ranging from fractures to minor shrapnel wounds.
Expressing deep regret, the CAS assured that the NAF fully acknowledged the pain caused by the incident and was taking steps to ensure such occurrences were prevented in the future.
To mitigate the suffering of the victims and their families, the CAS announced a series of support measures, including financial assistance for the families of those who lost their lives.
He also pledged the reconstruction of a damaged building in the affected village and the replacement of two motorcycles destroyed in the strike. Additionally, he directed the NAF Director of Services to provide a solar-powered borehole in Kambarawa Village to serve the local community and neighboring settlements.
“While these efforts cannot undo the loss suffered, they demonstrate the Air Force’s resolve to make amends and provide relief to those affected,” Abubakar stated.
The CAS highlighted the NAF’s newly developed Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan (CHMR-AP), which is aimed at enhancing operational precision, improving assessments and investigations, and ensuring effective response mechanisms when civilian harm occurs.
According to him, the plan is designed to be flexible and scalable, ensuring improved strategic outcomes and refined operational assessments to prevent collateral damage during military operations.
He reiterated that the NAF remains committed to working closely with local authorities and security agencies to curb terrorism, banditry, and other criminal activities threatening peace in the North West.
Governor Lawal expressed gratitude to the CAS and his delegation for their visit and for standing in solidarity with the affected families. He also commended the proactive measures taken to prevent future occurrences.
As part of the visit, the governor presented the NAF with a Certificate of Occupancy for a parcel of land near Gusau Airport, designated for the establishment of a new Air Force Base in Zamfara.
NAF Chief Visits Zamfara Airstrike Victims, Takes Responsibility
Crime
BREAKING NEWS: 3 killed And 3,000 displaced as Devastating Fire Sweeps Through Kalari Settlement in Konduga, Borno State
BREAKING NEWS: 3 killed And 3,000 displaced as Devastating Fire Sweeps Through Kalari Settlement in Konduga, Borno State
By: Zagazola Makama
A catastrophic fire has torn through the Kalari settlement in Konduga Local Government Area (LGA) of Borno State, claiming three lives and displacing over 3,000 people. The blaze, which erupted at approximately 1:00 PM, engulfed three villages, reducing more than 1,500 thatched houses to ashes.
Zagazola Makama gathered that In response to the disaster, the military, along with the Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF), mobilized swiftly to provide emergency assistance. Personnel from the 222 Battalion rendered first aid to the wounded and transported the injured to Maiduguri Specialist Hospital via Army ambulances.
The timely intervention of key local officials, including the Chairman of Konduga LGA, a Member of the House of Assembly, and the Commissioner for Environment, ensured immediate relief efforts for the affected families.
This incident comes on the heels of severe flooding that devastated Konduga LGA in September 2024, following the collapse of the Alau Dam. The flash floods from the dam’s collapse also affected Maiduguri and Jere LGAs, displacing an estimated 240,000 people. Many residents are still recovering from that catastrophe, and the latest fire disaster has further intensified the region’s humanitarian crisis.
An Official of SEMA, said the Borno State Government has made an urgent appeal for humanitarian aid to support the thousands affected by both the recent fire and previous flood disasters. Efforts are underway to provide shelter, food, and medical care to those impacted by these successive calamities.
BREAKING NEWS: 3 killed And 3,000 displaced as Devastating Fire Sweeps Through Kalari Settlement in Konduga, Borno State
Six Die in Taraba Boat Mishap, Nine Rescued
By: Zagazola Makama
A boat accident on the Jole River in Lau Local Government Area of Taraba State has claimed six lives, while nine other passengers were rescued alive, the Taraba State Police Command has confirmed.
Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident occurred on Saturday, April 5, 2025.
According to police sources, the boat was conveying 15 people when it capsized midstream. Rescue efforts led to the recovery of nine survivors, while the bodies of six passengers were later pulled from the river.
The deceased have been identified as Dadi Mallam Dotti (30), Mubarak Abdu (21), Bappa Mallam Dotti (20), Adamu Yayagardi (30), and one Madugu (22), all from Badabdi, Funakaye LGA of Gombe State, of the Terawa ethnic group. The sixth victim was Umar Gambo (34), of Zaura Ward, Damban LGA, Bauchi State, of the Karakare ethnic group.
The boat driver is currently at large, and efforts are ongoing to locate him.
The police sources said that search and recovery operations were conducted in collaboration with local divers and community volunteers.
Six Die in Taraba Boat Mishap, Nine Rescued
Teenager Dies After Ritual Experiment by Native Doctor in Edo
By: Zagazola Makama
The Edo State Police Command has arrested two men in connection with the death of a 14-year-old boy, Okonkwo Obina Emmanuel, following a failed ritual performance in Iyamon Village, Illushi, Ubiaja.
Police sources told Zagazola Makama that the incident was reported on April 2, 2025, by the deceased’s elder brother, Okonkwo Onyenbushi. According to the report, a self-acclaimed native doctor, Amechi Edozunor, in collaboration with one Kelvin Ugru, allegedly performed a charm ritual on the victim to make him “invulnerable to bottles.”
During the ritual, the suspects reportedly struck the boy’s head with a bottle in an attempt to prove the charm’s effectiveness, leading to a fatal head injury.
The victim was rushed to Wisdom Hospital and later referred to Ogbeide Hospital, where he died on April 5, 2025.
The sources said his remains have been deposited at the hospital mortuary for autopsy, while both suspects are currently in police custody pending further investigation.
Teenager Dies After Ritual Experiment by Native Doctor in Edo
VP Shettima Demands More Private Sector Engagement In Healthcare Reforms
BREAKING NEWS: 3 killed And 3,000 displaced as Devastating Fire Sweeps Through Kalari Settlement in Konduga, Borno State
Six Die in Taraba Boat Mishap, Nine Rescued
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