War is destruction, death, pain and suffering.

While bandit attacks on Nigerian villages and shootouts between the army and these terrorists are frequently reported in the news, reports of the army ‘accidentally’ bombing villages and killing civilians are less common.

A recent air strike traced to the army, which left several innocent civilians dead and wounded in Kaduna State, sparked an outrage among citizens. At least 85 civilians were killed and several others injured in the air strike in Tudun Biri village in the Igabi Local Government Area (LGA) of the state on Sunday night.

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The villagers had gathered for Maulud celebration around 9:00 pm when the incident happened. Reports reveal that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) claimed that the village was accidentally bombed.

A statement shared on Monday by Samuel Aruwan, the overseeing commissioner of the ministry of internal security and home affairs in the state, revealed that “the Nigerian Army was on a routine mission against terrorists but inadvertently affected members of the community”.

FIJ has now found similar instances, all of which were products of the military’s ‘accidental’ attacks on civilians while responding to intelligence reports on terrorist movements.

2014: BORNO STATE

In March 2014, a military jet targeting Boko Haram hideouts in the Sambisa forest bombed Daglun village in Borno State. Dozens of civilians were killed in the process.

Although the Nigerian military dismissed the allegation that civilians were mistakenly killed in the air operation, local sources revealed otherwise.

As reported by CNN, Ali Ndume, a senator representing the region at the time, said the military plane “mistook the village for a Boko Haram camp”.

2017: BORNO STATE

Again in January 2017, a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) jet fighter mistakenly bombed an internally displaced persons (IDPs) camp at Rann, a Borno State town located near the border with Cameroon.

According to a news report, at least 112 people were killed and many others wounded as a result of the air strike.

Maj Gen Lucky Irabor, the then commander of the military’s counterinsurgency operations in northeast, had ordered the mission based on information that Boko Haram insurgents were gathering in the Kala-Balge LGA, where Rann is located.

Brigadier General Rabe Abubakar, the then spokesman for the military, also said it was an error deeply regretted by the military. Like Irabor, Abubakar explained that the army had deployed ground troops and air cover to tackle terrorists upon receiving information about their movement.

2019: ZAMFARA STATE

In April 2019, a military aircraft hit at Tangaram, Zamfara State, killed six civilian children and injured 17 other civilians.

The aircraft was providing air support for ground troops in the fight against a spate of kidnappings and killings in the area.

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2021: BORNO STATE

Four years after the air strike in Borno, the military accidentally bombed Kwatar Daban Masara on Lake Chad, another village in the state.

At least 20 fishermen were killed and several others injured in September 2021 when the military accidentally hit the village.

A source disclosed to local media outlets that the air strike was carried out based on “credible information” about the presence of jihadists in the village.

2022: YOBE STATE

The Nigerian airforce also admitted to bombing Buhari village in Yobe State, where 10 people were killed and over 20 wounded in September 2021.

Although the military initially denied carrying out the attack, Edward Gabkwet, its spokesperson at the time, later disclose that the involved aircraft was detailed to respond to the suspected terrorist activities in the area along the Nigeria/Niger border.

“The aircraft, while operating South of Kanama, observed suspicious movement consistent with Boko Haram terrorists’ behaviour whenever a jet aircraft is overhead,” he said.

“Accordingly, the pilot fired some probing shots. It is important to state that the area is well known for continuous Boko Haram /ISWAP activities. Unfortunately, reports reaching Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Headquarters alleged that some civilians were erroneously killed while others were injured.”

2022: KATSINA STATE

In July 2022, a fighter jet targeting terrorists accidentally bombed and killed several villagers at Kunkuna in the Safana LGA of ​​Katsina State.

The jet was said to have hit the wrong targets in the operation launched against camps of bandits.

At least 254 civilians have been killed by military air strikes within this period.

Abatta is a reporter with FIJ, in partnership with Report for the World, which matches local newsrooms with talented emerging journalists to report on under-covered issues around the globe.