The Air Officer Commanding Air Training Command, Nigerian Air Force, AVM Mohammed Zubeiru Suleiman has reiterated NAF’s zero tolerance for attack on civilians even when supporting their officers and men in the battle front.
Speaking yesterday when he received a delegation of Civil-Military Forum at the training command headquarters, Kaduna, AVM Suleiman lamented misconceptions against the military and Air Force in particular, just as he decried the milling of jobless youth around Kawo bridge bus stop, noting that they constitute security risk to the society and make their office vulnerable.
The Air Force officer commended the Forum for the visit, while describing the initiative as laudable and timely. “there has been lot of misconception about our work and wrong accusations against us. There was a particular accusation, when I was the head of operations at the Nigerian Air Force headquarters, that we bombed villages in Taraba and Adamawa, though they later realised that there was nothing like that, the damage has been done.
“We have zero tolerance to attack civilians even when we are supporting our men in battle front, we would rather wait and pray that they can fight it out rather than attack a civilian. We are facing another challenge now with miscreants always gathering around the Kawo Bridge area. Some years ago, there were two incidents of bomb blasts in the area, including the one that almost killed Mr President, train on the rail line has killed one or two people because of the miscreants converging in the area.
“If anybody want to attack this place, he will stop there and profile what we are doing. The people there are operating illegally on our land because they have rights but they are infringing on our rights, safety and security, making us vulnerable. The rights and security of the people are at risk so, we would do something about it.
“Everytime there is a hold-up in that area, should there be any problem there, the danger will be massive, look at car park, tipper garage, bus stop and people smell my things there. We are saying people should not be there but they are finding it difficult to understand,” the military officer said.
Leader of the Civil-Military Forum delegation, Mr Samson Auta said that they are at the Air Training Command secretariat to explore areas of cooperation as they work to improve military – civilian relationship in all facets. He said the Forum was established to counter negative narratives about the military and counter hate speeches especially as Nigeria approaches the 2019 general elections.
Also speaking, Barrister Maryam Abdul said that the Forum seeks to form relationship with the military to assuage the populace’s fear of and animosity towards the military. “As civil society organisation, we decided to establish and smoothen the relationship between the military and civilians. We create strategy to support peace. The organisation have 30 members drawn from different sectors of the society.
Mr Timothy said that the Forum is seeking to engage service providers to accord military men in uniform special respect that would ensure they don’t queue when in need of any service as an appreciation of their sacrifice to the country.
