The immediate past spokesman for Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, has been reappointed as the force’s Director of Public Relations and Information.
His reappointment followed the recent change of guard in the NAF. The Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Vice Marshal, Hassan Abubakar approved Gabkwet’s reappointment alongside the redeployment of over 90 senior airforce officers.
Gabkwet is expected to take over the position from Air Commodore Edak Famuyiwa, on or before July, 3.
But one of the not-easy-to-forget Gabkwet’s crimes against humanity is the failure to admit that NAF mercilessly killed six minors in Kurebe village under Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State. The girls identified as Maryam Lawal, Hafeezah Basiru, Shamsiyah Lawal, Shafaatu Jamilu, Asmau Isa, and Hakumi Danlami were killed near a mobile borehole situated somewhere in the village. They would be buried in three graves, according to an investigation by PREMIUM TIMES.
Not Gabkwet only, Ahmed Matane, the then Secretary to the State Government (SSG), also denied the killing. The government went further to scuttle plans by the parents of the slain minors to speak up.
“Work with what the state government said on it and stop sniffing around for what you want to hear, do you understand me?” Gabkwet had said. “What else do you want to hear? The SSG came out and told you that these allegations are unfounded, so what else do you want to hear from us? They own the state.”
NAF Jet Mistakenly Bombed Over 20 Cows in Niger. Family Now in Despiar
Five months after killing the minors, WikkiTimes exclusively reported that NAF returned to the same village, Kurebe, and bombed at least, eight unsuspecting villagers. The slain villagers include seven males and one unmarried female. They were identified as Alhaji Ibrahim Tanimu, Mustapha Hamisu, Iliya Shuaibu, Aminu Guda, Basiru Dalami, Luka Goje, Sahabi Isiya and Asmau Audi.
Also, in November 2022, WikkiTimes reported that the NAF jet bombed 25 cattle belonging to one Alhaji Mallam Iliya in Garun Gabas village of Kagara-Rafi local council, leaving him and his children in despair.
Gabkwet was still a NAF spokesman during the incidents we exclusively reported, but he failed to respond to enquiries sent to him.
