The Nigeria Air Force (NAF) has deployed fighter aircraft including an EC 135 attack helicopter and an Alpha Jet to troubled communities in Adamawa State to bomb what it called “hideouts for miscreants.”

The NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Olatukunbo Adesanya while confirming the deployment on Monday said the bombardment of the hideouts which would be a continuous exercise would serve as warning shots rather than shooting to kill.

The air attacks on the identified villages which entered the fifth day on Monday witnessed air bombardments from the Air Force aimed at stopping rampaging Fulaini herdsmen from gaining access into the town of Numan.

“We launched an attack both with our Alpha Jet and EC 135 helicopter. We were able to get in touch with the activities in the area. The deployment is a continuous exercise.” Olatukunbo said.

“We have an oversight function over the whole area to provide security. Before now, we had actually been doing constant air survelliance. Our intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms reported the bombing of villages and the rest. The two helicopters are both involved,” Olatokunbo said.

On the possibility of the Air Force mistakenly bombing fleeing villagers or innocent citizens, Olatukunbo added: “The Air Force exists to protect Nigerians, not to fight fellow Nigerians. How it is done is that we have a video recording of operations. It shows those who were actually attacked.

“There were more of warning shots – not shots to kill. Immediately the shots were released, the miscreants realized fire was coming and they actually fled the area. I do not, at the time have any casualty figure; all I know is that there was a positive effect of the missions.”

Fulani herdsmen had on Monday, December 4 launched attacks on Lawaru and Dung communities in Demsa Local Government Area of Adamawa State. Many residents were killed and many villages burnt down.