President Bola Tinubu of Nigeria issued an order for a comprehensive investigation into the military drone attack that occurred over the weekend in northern Kaduna, Nigeria.
The incident resulted in the deaths of at least 85 people, including women and children. Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, the head of the Nigerian army, expressed regret for the air strike during his visit to Tundun Biri hamlet. He announced that he would cover the medical costs for the injured people undergoing treatment at a hospital in Kaduna. The event is the most recent in a series of attacks claiming civilian lives, as highlighted in a special Reuters article in June. It underscores a pattern of lethal aerial assaults by the Nigerian military.
Kaduna, located 163 km (101 miles) from the capital Abuja, is one of the states in the northwestern and north-central regions facing challenges such as kidnappings and killings by armed groups. In response, security forces have resorted to aerial strikes. According to the National Emergency Management Agency, the official death toll from the recent incident is 85, with 66 individuals reported as injured. However, witnesses claim that the actual number of casualties is higher. While attending the Cop28 Climate Summit in Dubai, Tinubu referred to the event on Sunday night as a “bombing mishap.” Tinubu’s spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, conveyed the President’s sentiments, describing the incident as “very unfortunate, disturbing, and painful.” Ngelale stated that the President has ordered a comprehensive investigation into the incident and has urged the public to remain calm as authorities diligently examine the mishap.
Before the drone strike, soldiers conducting overhead patrols, according to Army spokesman Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, saw a group of civilians and “wrongly analyzed and misinterpreted their pattern of activities to be similar to that of the bandits.” Lagbaja has commanded an inquiry, and Nwachukwu stated that the findings would direct the army in addressing any deficiencies in both artificial and human intelligence. After a yearly Muslim celebration in Maulud turned deadly, witnesses described their shock and anguish. Villagers were forced to evacuate after hearing a big explosion around 9:00 pm (2000 GMT). The people began tending to the injured and transferring the deceased as soon as they realized it was a bomb explosion. Thirty minutes later, witnesses reported hearing another explosion that claimed more lives.
Musa Shehu revealed that he had lost two wives and that his youngest daughter was hurt and in the hospital. “Body parts, especially from youngsters, were left strewn on tree branches and building roofs. We placed them next to dead bodies that weren’t severely disfigured, and we packed them in empty grain bags,” Shehu added over the phone. Another survivor, Shehu Bala, said the residents, who came from four villages, were looking for explanations.
Bala stated that 97 bodies were tallied, with a significant number being women and children. Some infants who survived were separated from their deceased mothers who were nursing them. The ordeal was described as a dreadful experience.
