The Nigerian military has been accused since 2017 of accidental airstrikes, killing approximately 409 defenceless civilians while pursuing militants and bandits in the country’s north.
Several innocent civilians have reportedly been killed in accidental airstrikes, despite the military’s denial of some of the allegations and insistence that terrorists were the objective of the operations.
According to the DAILY POST, on January 17, 2017, a Nigerian Air Force aircraft unintentionally attacked an IDP camp in Rann, Borno State, close to the Cameroonian border.
At least 115 people tragically died as a result of the tragedy, including roughly six Red Cross employees.
Over 100 IDPs were hurt in the incident, which was extensively covered by national and international news outlets.
Background
A similar tragedy happened in the villages of Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa in Sokoto State’s Surame Local Government Area on December 25, 2024.
At least ten “innocent” villagers were accidentally murdered by military airstrikes that were intended to target the terror group Lakurawa in the villages, according to the BBC.
The state governor, Ahmed Aliyu, stated that ten villagers were murdered and numerous others were injured during the operation, despite the military’s initial denial of the claim.
“The military jets were on their mission to eliminate criminal armed groups terrorizing the state, and mistakenly bombed innocent people of this community,” Aliyu said in a statement after visiting the scene of the incident.
Christopher Musa, the Chief of Defence Staff at the time, then accused the two communities of providing sanctuary to the Lakurawa terrorist group.
However, Musa acknowledged that an airstrike meant to drive away the Lakurawa terrorists unintentionally struck the settlements of Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa, killing civilians and injuring numerous more.
More Incidents
In December 2023, a Nigerian army drone accidentally killed several civilians observing a Muslim festival in Tudun Biri village, Kaduna State.
The accidental strike killed at least 120 defenceless civilians, according to Amnesty International.
Similalry, On 24 January, 2023 a military air strike allegedly killed about 50 herders in the Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa state.
More recently, another accidental airstrike was launched by the military on the Jilli Market in Yobe State, near Gubio local government area of Borno State.
According to reports, the action resulted in the deaths of about fifty civilians and the serious injuries of numerous others.
However, the military has justified this move, insisting that the site was a valid military target, characterising Jilli as a known supply hub and meeting place for ISWAP terrorist combatants.
Join Our Social Media Channels:
WhatsApp: NaijaEyes
Facebook: NaijaEyes
Twitter: NaijaEyes
Instagram: NaijaEyes
TikTok: NaijaEyes
READ THE LATEST NEWS ON POLITICS
