Over 300 civilians have been killed in accidental airstrikes by the Nigerian Air Force since 2017, a report by SBM Intelligence has said.
In the report titled “Air Force Mishaps,” released on Monday, SBM said the airstrikes happened while the Nigerian Air Force was in pursuit of terrorists.
The report lamented that mishaps had increased in the last two years, adding that no compensation had been paid to victims’ families.
It said the latest incident in Nasarawa ‘has come to colour military operations in Nigeria.”
The report partly read, “ Since 2017, more than 300 people have been killed in airstrikes carried out by the Nigerian Air Force in pursuit of terrorists. Within the last two years, the instances of such ‘mistakes’ have soared, but sadly with limited acknowledgement from the Air Force.
“It has also failed to carry out comprehensive investigations and has not paid compensation to victims’ families. Late January’s airstrikes on herders in Nasarawa continued the pattern of impunity that has come to colour military operations in Nigeria.”
The report listed Yobe, Borno, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Zamfara and Niger as the worst-hit states.
Some of the incidents cited in the report include January 17, 2017 accidental airstrike on an Internally Displaced Persons camp in Rann, Borno. About 52 people were killed while 120 others sustained injuries in the incident.
Also, On April 13, 2020, 17 people, including children, were killed after a NAF fighter jet bombed Sakotoku village in Damboa LGA of Borno.
In April 2022, a NAF fighter jet reportedly killed six children, when it fired a bomb targeted at terrorists in Kurebe village in Shiroro LGA of Niger State.
Another 13 residents were wounded while one other died after a NAF fighter jet struck Kunkuna village in the Safana LGA of Katsina on July 7, 2022, among others.
The reports that the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Oladayo Amao, had expressed concern over the number of civilian casualties during air raids across various theatres of operation and had set up a committee to investigate past incidents and the circumstances leading to the strikes.
A security expert, Oladele Fajana, urged the Nigerian Air Force to go back to the drawing board and put an end to such accidents.
He said, “It is very unfortunate that it is happening repeatedly. Those at the helm of affairs have to go back to the drawing board. then retaining the pilots to be able to properly identify the targets they are to strike. This should not repeat itself again.”
