No fewer than 551 civilians have been killed as a result of accidental airstrikes by the Nigerian military in the last seven years, a report has shown.
The report by SBM Intelligence, a research and consulting firm, stated that the military errors occurred in several locations in the northern part of Nigeria and a location in Niger Republic.
“In recent years, the number of “mistake” aerial bombardments of civilians has surged, yet the military has remained largely silent on these fatal errors,” the research-based firm said.
According to the chart titled ‘Burnt Offerings’, Borno State, known for its decade-long insurgency, has the highest number of casualties (182), followed by Kaduna (151), Zamfara (80), Nasarawa (47), while Katsina has the least (1). Seven civilians were victims in the neighbouring Niger Republic.
The highest number of civilian casualties from mistaken aerial bombardments (238) was recorded in 2023, while the lowest number (11) was recorded in 2019.
In an ongoing struggle to combat insecurity in the country, the Nigerian military has unwittingly inflicted immense suffering on the civilians it seeks to protect.
Innocent civilians have even had to pay the ultimate price, particularly in the North, due to military errors.
One of the most popular incidents occurred on January 17, 2017, when a Nigerian Air Force jet mistakenly bombed an IDP camp in Rann, Borno State. The horrible incident led to the deaths of 126 civilians, including aid workers and internally displaced persons (IDPs) at the camp. The majority of the victims were children and women.
Another popular incident is that of the Kaduna air strike, which happened in December 2023 at Tudun Birni community in the Igabi LGA. Over villagers reportedly died after a military jet dropped a bomb on a civilian population. The victims were reportedly celebrating Maulud, an Islamic event when the incident occurred.
Despite promises of investigation and preventive measures, the tragic pattern of mishaps continues to claim innocent lives.
“Investigations into these occurrences have been insufficient, and families of the victims have not received any compensation. The rising toll and lack of accountability overshadow the Air Force’s counterterrorism efforts, leaving affected communities in despair and frustration,” the SBM stated.
In December 2022, then-Minister of Information Lai Mohammed downplayed the civilian casualties, referring to them as “collateral deaths” that happen “once in a while.”
“Fighting insurgency is a very difficult thing. And as much as the air force or the military are careful, once in a while, it does happen—that innocent people also suffer. We will regret it,” he had said.
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