Air Commodore Wap Maigida, the NAF’s Acting Director of Defence Information, gave the assurance in an interview with The PUNCH on Thursday.

During the employment of fighter planes against bandits, Maigida guaranteed locals in the North-West and North-Central that no civilians would be hurt.

Following the federal government’s official declaration of bandits as terrorists, he claimed the Nigerian military was planning to deploy fighter planes in the two regions.

The NAF spokesman disclosed that the aircraft would be used for intelligence-driven operations and that the pilots have gone through rigorous training to be able to use the aircraft.

Maigida, however, revealed that innocent citizens in bandits’ captivity would not be affected during the use of the fighter jets in military operations.

He said: “The Armed Forces of Nigeria has respect for human rights and we would only use it (Super Tucano) on terrorists. We understand the aircraft is a very strategic aircraft and it would be used for highly intelligence-driven operations.

“Anything we are hitting suspected terrorists. I can tell you the pilots have gone through rigorous training to be able to use the equipment. We are assuring Nigerians that those fighter jets would be well utilized.”