PUNCH
In the last seven years, over 426 innocent civilians have had to pay with their lives after military air strikes aimed at bandits and terrorists have hit the wrong target. This has thrown several families into mourning. Solomon Odeniyi writes about the victims’ families and survivors’ struggle for justice, which remains elusive
Okotta Samiala still grapples with the sorrow of losing 11 of his beloved siblings to the accidental air strike by the Nigerian Air Force that occurred in the Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State on January 24, 2023.
The agony he is experiencing has been exacerbated by his inability to get justice for them.
Samiala, who reluctantly spoke to our correspondent, said all efforts to ensure the family gets justice, including speaking to journalists, have been futile.
“We have been pursuing the issue to no avail. Everything we tried to get justice failed. It brings me pain whenever I am being interviewed about the incident. Many journalists have come, and we have spoken with them, thinking something would come out, but nothing. We are tired of talking to you people,” a frustrated Samiala said.
Despite being indicted by investigations by Human Rights Watch, Reuters, Amnesty International, and Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, as well as outcries from the citizens, the Nigerian Air Force failed to own up to the operational blunder, labelling those killed as terrorists who were planning an attack on the community.
“The Air Force carried out surveillance, and the surveillance confirmed that they were terrorists and that surveillance continued for almost throughout the day until later in the evening when a truck appeared at that scene.
“The truck was suspected to have brought logistics to them and that was why approval was given by the appropriate authority that that truck be taken out and the truck was taken out.
“The position of the Air Force is that terrorists were struck that day, and whether it is whatever group and if they think they were innocent people, let them provide the evidence,” the then Air Force spokesperson, Air Commodore Ayodele Famuyiwa, said.
But Samiala is still furious with the Air Force for calling his siblings terrorists and their failure to admit the strike was done in error.
He said, “They called innocent people terrorists after killing them. My siblings were pastoralists. They just wasted their lives. I lost 11 of my siblings to the incident. Our leaders persuaded us that we should allow peace to reign and that justice would be done to those responsible for the incident, but as I speak, the military has not admitted they killed innocent citizens, which is very painful.”
Grimly recalling the unfortunate incident, Samiala said his siblings were bombed while offloading their cattle impounded by the Benue State Livestock Guards.
