Olusesan Oba
A report indicates that a staggering 425 lives have been lost due to accidental military bombings in Nigeria between September 2017 and 2023.
The comprehensive study from documented instances of military mishaps discloses that the victims included children and women.
The report underscores the gravity of the situation, acknowledging that the actual casualty count might be higher, given that some incidents did not specify the number of victims.
Among the tragic episodes recounted is the January 17, 2017 incident where a Nigerian Air Force jet mistakenly bombed an Internally Displaced Persons camp in Rann, Borno state, resulting in the deaths of approximately 52 people, with 120 others sustaining injuries.
Another distressing event occurred on December 4, 2017, when a military fighter jet fired rockets at villages as a purported “warning.” Amnesty International, after investigating the aftermath, reported that unarmed residents were attacked by the fighter jet as they attempted to flee, resulting in 11 deaths and 20 injuries.
The toll continued to mount with six airstrikes on April 9, 2019, in Dumbourou, Zurmi LGA, claiming 11 lives and injuring 20 others. On September 16, 2021, an Air Force strike near the border with Niger led to the deaths of nine civilians, including three children, with 23 more sustaining injuries.
Disturbingly, a September 26, 2021 airstrike, alleged by villagers to be the military’s doing, claimed at least 20 lives in a rural community. Despite villagers’ insistence, the Air Force has yet to acknowledge its involvement in the incident.
In an unfortunate turn of events in neighboring Niger Republic on February 20, 2022, seven children were killed and five injured during an Air Force airstrike targeting terrorists. The toll continued to rise with a July 7, 2022 incident in Kunkuna village, Safana LGA of Katsina, resulting in 13 injuries and one fatality.
While a miscalculated airstrike in Kaduna on December 13, 2022, led to property damage, it marked the only recorded mishap without citizen casualties. However, tragedy struck again on December 19, 2022, with an NAF airstrike claiming the lives of at least 64 individuals in Mutumji Community, Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The grim tally extended into 2023, with the Air Force involved in three mishaps. The first, on January 24 in Niger State, reportedly claimed an unspecified number of lives, including special hunters of the Joint Security Task Force and residents. On January 25, another accidental strike resulted in the deaths of at least 40 herders, including four in Nasarawa State. Most recently, on Monday, an unfortunate miscalculated airstrike by the Nigerian Army’s drone claimed the lives of no fewer than 85 individuals.
As the nation grapples with the repercussions of these accidental bombings, questions arise about accountability and measures to prevent such devastating incidents in the future.
