Last week’s unintended bombing of Tudun Biri in Kaduna State by the Nigerian Army’s drone unit has cast a devastating shadow over the country, marking one of the gravest military missteps in recent years. The incident resulted in 120 casualties, with survivors recounting being bombed twice on the fateful day, as one family mourned the loss of 32 of its members.
According to reports from Punch newspaper, a staggering 425 individuals, including innocent children and women, have perished in military accidental bombings between September 2017 and 2023. This alarming toll serves as a grim reminder of the urgent need to recalibrate the military’s approach to airstrikes.
Delving into the heart of the matter, it becomes apparent that a combination of factors has contributed to these tragic incidents. From inadequately calibrated targeting instruments to lapses in the confirmation of identifications, as well as errors in marking targets, the landscape is riddled with challenges that demand immediate attention.
Over the years, Nigeria has grappled with a surge in violence, largely orchestrated by non-state armed groups with diverse motives and methods. These groups, including Boko Haram in the northeast, Niger Delta Avengers in the south, separatist factions in the south-east, and criminal gangs in the north-west, have inflicted varying degrees of suffering on the populace. Boko Haram’s relentless insurgency alone has claimed over 35,000 lives and displaced at least 1.8 million individuals since 2009, painting a harrowing picture of the human cost of these conflicts.
In the north-west, bandits have terrorized communities through kidnapping, armed robbery, and heinous acts of violence. With an estimated 30,000 bandits spread across the region, their relentless activities have led to the displacement of over a million people and caused almost 13,500 deaths between 2010 and May 2023.
In response to escalating insecurity, Nigeria has mobilized its military forces for multi-domain operations in conflict zones, deploying an array of air assets including drones, helicopters, and various aircraft types. While these deployments have yielded some successes, they’ve also been marred by deadly errors, as exemplified by the recent tragedy in Tudun Biri and previous instances such as the accidental bombing of an internally displaced persons camp in Rann, Borno State, resulting in devastating casualties.
Amid these dire circumstances, it is imperative for the Nigerian government to conduct a thorough investigation into the Tudun Biri incident and implement stringent measures to prevent such tragedies in the future. This necessitates the synchronization of unmanned aerial vehicle procurement and standard operating procedures in military deployment, transcending inter-service mistrust and rivalry. Additionally, there is an urgent need to update operational tools and enhance pilot training to minimize the margin of error.
Furthermore, caution and precaution must underpin Nigeria’s airstrikes to avert further tragedies and mitigate the potential for these incidents to stoke ethno-religious conflicts. By prioritizing precision and prudence in military operations, Nigeria can safeguard civilian lives and foster a more secure and harmonious society.
As the country navigates these complex challenges, it is essential to approach the task with the utmost diligence and resilience. By heeding the lessons of the past and embracing a proactive stance, Nigeria can chart a course towards a future where civilian safety takes precedence in all military endeavors.
By Oluwole Ojewale, ENACT Regional Organised Crime Observatory Coordinator – Central Africa, ISS; Freedom Onuoha, Senior Lecturer, Department of Political Science and Coordinator Security, Violence and Conflict Research Group, University of Nigeria; and Idris Mohammed, Conflict Researcher, Department of Mass Communication, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto
