A six-man panel constituted by the Nigerian Air Force on January 19, 2017 to investigate the accidental bombing of an Internally Displaced Persons camp in Rann, Borno State, has submitted its report.
The panel, headed by NAF Chief of Standards and Evaluation, Air Vice Marshal Salihu Bala-Ribah, met with the Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Leo Irabor, as well as victims and survivors of the bombing before submitting its findings.
A source at the NAF headquarters said, “The report on Rann bombing has been submitted, but it was done discreetly to the office of the Chief of Air Staff.
“The report has also left his office and is with the higher authorities, either at the Defence Headquarters or at the Ministry of Defence.
“The contents of the report have not yet been revealed. Some officers at the Air Component Base, Yola, however, risk being indicted.”
When contacted, the NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Group Captain Ayodele Famuyiwa, said he would not preempt the panel or its report.
It was, however, learnt that the contents of the report centered on the causes of the accidental air strike, the circumstances leading to the event, the authorisation of the flight operation, the accordance of the flight with NAF operating regulations and local operating procedures, among others.
Meanwhile, the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu State, has held a one-day sensitisation and awareness lecture on Meningitis for soldiers and officers as well as their families.
The lecture, which was held at the Abakpa Military Cantonment, saw experts intimating the military men on how they could guard against contracting the disease.
About 4,000 cases of Meningitis have been reported in Jigawa, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kano and Katsina states respectively with over 350 deaths recorded so far. The disease has also been detected in Cross River and Ebonyi states as well.
The Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Sagir Musa, said the General Officer Commanding, 82 Division, Maj. Gen. Adamu Abubakar, organised the lecture, “having noticed the speedy spread of the disease. He directed that the sensitisation be conducted for the officers, soldiers and their families as well as the civilian personnel of the Division.”
Experts also spoke on Sickle Cell Anaemia and Gastroenteritis during the event.