The armed forces of Nigeria have acknowledged that a drone strike carried out by the army on Sunday in the north-west resulted in the accidental deaths of 85 civilians who were attending a Muslim festival.
Residents of Tudun Biri, located in Kaduna state, had assembled to observe the Maulud festival when around 9pm, they were startled by a loud noise resembling that of an aircraft, which was followed by a massive blast.
“I was unable to even move,” recounted Danjuma Salisu, a survivor, from his hospital bed as he received treatment for injuries to his hand and leg.
As per reports from the local community, residents evacuated the vicinity due to concerns of additional attacks. Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja of the Nigerian army personally visited Tudun Biri and issued an apology for the airstrike. Representatives from the Kaduna state government also met with village leaders and assured them that those impacted would receive compensation.
The occurrence brings attention to a trend of lethal air attacks carried out by the Nigerian military, as they aim to strike armed groups that are responsible for abductions and murders in the northwestern region of the nation.
The military claimed that they were on a routine mission to combat terrorists, but unfortunately, it had unintended consequences for members of the community. They did not disclose the number of casualties or provide an explanation for the incident, but according to local residents, 85 individuals, including women and children, lost their lives. A few eyewitnesses reported a higher death toll.
According to Idris Dahiru, a resident of the village, he was indoors when the initial explosion occurred. He and others quickly ran to the site to provide assistance, but another bomb was dropped soon after.
The deceased included my aunt, my brother’s spouse, and their six kids, as well as the spouses of my four brothers. Sadly, my eldest brother’s entire family perished except for their infant. A total of 85 individuals were laid to rest as victims of the bombing.
According to Dahiru, over 60 individuals who were injured are currently hospitalized.
Husseini Ibrahim, another resident, shared with Agence France-Presse (AFP): “I am devastated by the loss of my immediate family, which included 13 members. Among the 85 casualties were my children and my brothers’ children, seven boys and six girls. We laid the victims to rest today.”
According to Hassan Ma’aruf, a resident, numerous women and children were among the victims. He shared pictures that he claimed depicted the deceased with AFP.
According to a statement from the national emergency management agency, the Northwest Zonal Office has been informed by local authorities that 85 bodies have been buried and the search for more is ongoing.
The Nigerian government announced: “President Tinubu has condemned the incident as extremely regrettable, concerning, and heart-wrenching, expressing anger and sorrow over the tragic deaths of Nigerians.” The president, who is currently at the Cop28 Climate Summit in Dubai, has instructed for an inquiry to be conducted to determine the cause of the event.
Uba Sani, the governor of Kaduna state, stated that measures will be taken to avoid a recurrence of this disaster. He also assured the people that their safety will be given top priority in the ongoing battle against terrorists, bandits, and other criminals.
The military in Nigeria frequently conducts airstrikes against Boko Haram extremists and fighters involved in uprisings in the northern region. The north-west has now surpassed the north-east as the most violent area in the ongoing conflicts in Africa’s most populous nation.
The militants in the northeastern region are driven by both religious beliefs and access to resources. Meanwhile, the militants in the northwest have imitated their strategy of large-scale abductions and attacks, but without the same ideological motivations. As a result, they have gained control over large portions of the area.
Since assuming the presidency in May, Bola Tinubu has made security a top priority for his government. He has allocated $4 billion towards defence spending, which accounts for 12% of this year’s budget. However, there has been little mention of his plans to enhance performance, and experts believe that previous budget increases have not effectively addressed the ongoing violence.
In the past, the Nigerian military’s bombing raids have resulted in harm to innocent civilians. During an attack in September 2021 in Kwatar Daban Masara on Lake Chad in the north-east, at least 20 fishermen were mistakenly killed and several more were injured when they were mistaken for militants. In January 2017, a camp housing 40,000 people displaced by extremist violence in the town of Rann near the border with Cameroon was struck by a fighter jet, resulting in the deaths of at least 112 individuals.
The Nigerian armed forces attributed the cause of the incident to the area not being properly marked, as stated in a report released six months after the event. Activists have pointed out that previous similar occurrences have not been properly investigated.
The military of Nigeria receives support from countries such as Britain and the US. This has sparked worries about potential violations of human rights.
Source: theguardian.com
