Nigeria military air strike kills 16 by ‘mistake’ | Nigeria’s military has reportedly killed 16 civilians in an airstrike that appears to be a tragic mistake. The incident took place in the northwestern state of Zamfara, where residents claim the victims were members of local vigilante groups, as well as civilians defending themselves against armed gangs infamous for kidnapping people for ransom.
The airstrikes targeted militant gangs in the Zurmi and Maradun areas. State Governor Dauda Lawal expressed his condolences to the affected community. The military confirmed it conducted airstrikes, stating that the operations had dealt “a decisive blow” to the bandits terrorizing local villages.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) announced that it is investigating reports concerning the loss of vigilante lives. “While the operation successfully eliminated several bandits and facilitated the recovery of some kidnapped victims, the NAF views with grave concern reports of civilian casualties during the operation,” it said in a statement. The military promised a comprehensive investigation to determine the facts of the situation and pledged to communicate the findings to the public for transparency and reassurance.
A local resident reported that the civilians were on their way back to their villages after successfully driving away the bandits when the airstrike occurred. “We recovered 16 bodies from the attack and took several others with severe injuries to the hospital,” said Sa’idu Ibrahim.
Rights group Amnesty International Nigeria has reported the death toll to be 20, noting that dozens of others were injured in the attack on Tunga Kara village. They called on authorities to “immediately and impartially” investigate the incident.
Nigeria military air strike kills 16 by ‘mistake’ | BBC
