KEY POINTS
- Nigerian airstrike in Kaduna kills 24 civilians, say residents.
- Air Force claims the strike was based on “credible intelligence.”
- Military investigation is underway to determine what went wrong.
An airstrike by the Nigerian Air Force has killed at least 24 people in a village in northern Kaduna state, residents and a local councillor confirmed on Monday. The military operation carried out on September 27, targeted what officials believed was a hideout for armed gangs in the Giwa local government area.
Civilian casualties in military strikes
Residents from the Jika da Kolo community say the strike mistakenly hit a mosque, killing several innocent civilians instead of the intended target. Muhammad Hussaini, a resident, described the attack as hitting an area without any presence of armed gangs.
“They struck residents sitting close to the mosque, killing at least 24 innocent people,” Hussaini said. Another resident, Danlami Sale, added that the bodies of those killed had been severely disfigured, making identification challenging.
According to Reuters, local councillor Abdullahi Ismail confirmed the incident, stating that the strike targeted a group of villagers who were not involved with the gangs.
“We can’t deny the fact that bandits have taken charge of almost half of our village,” said Hussaini. “But where the military fighter jet struck was a community without bandits.”
However, the airstrike is part of an ongoing effort by Nigeria’s military to combat the growing threat from armed gangs and Islamist insurgents. Over recent years, these operations have drawn criticism for frequently causing unintended civilian casualties. Moreover, such instances have sparked debates on the precision and intelligence that underpin these military campaigns.
Military promises investigation
In response to the incident, the Nigerian Air Force said they were investigating the allegations. Furthermore, a spokesperson, Group Captain Kabiru Ali, indicated that the airstrike was conducted based on credible intelligence and confirmatory surveillance.
“The Nigerian Air Force is not taking these allegations lightly, and a thorough investigation is in progress to ascertain the facts,” Ali said.
The Nigerian military has been engaged in an aggressive campaign against armed groups in various parts of the country, often with the support of international allies. However, the growing number of civilian casualties has raised concerns about the efficacy of military tactics and the quality of intelligence driving these operations.
Residents call for precision and accountability
Local leaders are increasingly vocal about the need for better strategies in combating armed groups, stressing the importance of avoiding civilian casualties.
The repeated occurrence of civilian deaths in military operations has strained relations between communities and security forces, with residents calling for more accountability and improved precision in targeting.
The Nigerian Air Force, meanwhile, is under pressure to enhance its targeting mechanisms to ensure similar incidents do not occur in the future. As the investigation continues, the military aims to provide more information to the public regarding the circumstances of the Kaduna airstrike.
