The Nigerian Air Force, NAF, has donated the sum of N23 million to victims of the airstrike that killed innocent people in Buhari village, Yunusari local government area of Yobe State.
Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Bala Abubakar, said the incident, which he described as an “unfortunate mistake”, occurred when NAF’s jet was targeting ISWAP members.
Represented by the Air Component Commander, Joint Task Force North-East Operation Hadin Kai, Air Commondore Umar U Idris, he said the NAF Headquarters expressed deep regret over the incident and commiserated with the families of those who lost their loved ones and others who sustained various degrees of injuries.
“I wish to state categorically that this incident was not intentional. It was a mistake that occurred during an operation targeting a Boko Haram enclave,” he said.
The NAF chief disbursed N1 million each to families of eight deceased persons and N500,000 each to 30 injured persons.
He further said the NAF has embarked on quick-impact projects in the Buhari community, including the installation of a solar-powered borehole to provide potable water to the community.
Yobe State Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Saleh Samanja, commended NAF’s gesture, saying it is a step towards strengthening civil-military relations.
