NAF Launches Investigation After Rivers Businessman Accuses Airstrikes of Mistakenly Destroying Local Gin Distillery

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has commenced an investigation following an allegation that one of its recent air strikes, targeting illegal oil refining activities in Rivers State, mistakenly destroyed a legitimate local gin distillery.

The accusation came from Mr. Barine Friday, a resident and businessman in Alaoma, Umuebele 3, Etche Local Government Area, who claims NAF operatives attacked his factory on Tuesday, September 7, 2025. According to Mr. Friday, his facility, where he processes palm wine into the local gin known as kai-kai, was mistaken for an illegal crude oil refining site.

“They destroyed my cooking drum and my plantain and other economic trees like raffia palm. They destroyed them with their chopper,” Mr. Friday lamented, stating that he has run the inherited family business for over 15 years and has no link to illegal oil bunkering. A worker at the site reportedly corroborated the account, claiming the helicopter fired shots at the production drums without warning, causing staff to flee for safety.

The NAF has confirmed that it is looking into the incident. The NAF spokesperson stated that the service has initiated “necessary actions in line with its Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan to verify the reported incident.”

The air strikes in question were part of the ongoing operations by the Air Component of Operation Delta Safe, which is actively engaged in dismantling illegal refining camps—or kpo-fire sites—across the Niger Delta region. While the NAF remains committed to delivering airpower against economic saboteurs, the service emphasized its core mandate to protect the lives and property of law-abiding citizens.

The NAF promised that the findings from the ongoing verification process would be adequately communicated and made public upon completion. The incident underscores the complexities and risks involved in conducting air operations in densely vegetated areas where legitimate local industries may be mistaken for criminal enterprises.