By GAMBO ARABART, Lafia

Emir of Lafia, Retired Justice Sidi Bage Mohammed, has applauded the authority of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) for identifying with the families of the 2023 air strike that led to the dead of 39 herders in Rukubi community in Doma LGC of Nasarawa State.

He gave the commendation at the weekend in hispalace in Lafia the state capitalwhen the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar led top ranking officers of the NAF to condole him (Emir) and the Families of those who lost their loved ones during the Air disaster last year; describing the visit as historic.

“We have never seen this kind of visit before coming from a higher Authority to apologise to us and the entire state for a mistake committed in course of discharging your legitimate duty,” the Emir stressed.

The paramount ruler further said that the traditional institution in the state will continue to do its best and collaborate with the security operatives toward combating crime in the state .

On his part, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar, said that the visit was basically to condole the families of those who were affected in the unfortunate airstrike of January 26, 2023, describing the incident as painful, assuring that such mistake would not happen again.

He disclosed thatNAF acted based on intelligence that some terrorists were on motor cycles operating in the area which prompted theNAF to carryout airstrike which unfortunately killed innocent civilians; added that a situation where there was a lot of outcry by some many Nigerians.

He said: “Military were employed and paid to protect the lives and property of citizens and whenever the Military is accused of killing innocent civilians. It is painful to us.”

He further assured the people of the state that NAF will continue to exert more effort in combatingcrime in the state; calling on the stakeholders to assist them with useful information about the bad eggs in the society.