The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has constituted a board of senior officers to investigate the accidental air strike on 17 January 2017 at Rann, Borno State. Among its terms of reference, the Board is to determine the immediate and remote causes as well as the circumstances that led to the incident.
This is with a view to forestall future occurrence. In addition to a list of 20 witnesses given to it, the Board is free to invite other persons to give evidence on oath. The Board is to submit its report not later than 2 February 2017.
The 6-man Board is headed by the Chief of Standards and Evaluation, Headquarters Nigerian Air Force (HQ NAF), Air Vice Marshal Salihu Bala-Ribah. Other members are Air Vice Marshal Charles Oghomwen, Air Commodore Ayoola Jolasinmi, Group Captain Essien Efanga, Wing Commander Solomon Irmiya and Wing Commander Mohammed Muazu.
Meanwhile, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria Paul Arkwright has expressed his deepest sympathies for those affected by the terrible accidental bombing in an IDP camp in Rann, Borno.
He appealed to relevant authorities to urgently attend to the injured, and families of the bereaved, and also called on the Nigerian military authorities to undertake a thorough investigation to determine the exact cause of the accident to prevent a recurrence.