Airstrikes by the Nigerian Air Force have killed at least 14 cows and one herder in Otiya community in Ekye development area of Doma local government area of Nasarawa State....CONTINUE READING
Officials from Rukubi told LEADERSHIP that the airstrikes, which took, place last Sunday injured at least 75 cows.
The director of NAF public relations and information Air Cdre Edward Gabkwet when contacted, dismissed the report.
He said, “Are there pictures? If ideally these things happened, you will see pictures.
“If air force drops a bomb, not just 100 cows will be dead. If you say a rocket killed some cows, I’ll say let me find out from our pilots if there was a misguided rocket.
“But when you say 100 cows that must be a big bomb but I’ll ask our pilots operating in Benue. He is airborne so I’ll ask when he returns.”
The acting chairman, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) could not be reached but the former secretary of the association, Abdullahi Modibo said the MACBAN chairman, who is in Bauchi State presently, briefed the state governor about the airstrike in Otiya.
Also the overseer of Ekye development area, Bello Akoza could not be reached for comment at press time, as he was said to have led a team of security agencies to the scene of the airstrike on Sunday.
In June this year, an airstrike by the Nigerian Air Force was said to have killed over 14 cows in Awam community of Giza development area of Keana local government.
The chairman Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Hon Mohammed Omadefu in an interview mid this year confirmed and condemned the attack.
A source from Giza town that confided in our correspondent said people from the palace and few other stakeholders are aware of the operation of Nigeria Airforce.
LEADERSHIP gathered that no farmer from Giza went to farm on the instruction of the palace.
Our correspondent, alongside security operatives attached to the director personnel management, representative of the palace, Ardo Lawal and other Fulani leaders from Giza who visited the scene discovered that 14 cows were killed.
