A tragedy struck Nigeria’s Northern Kaduna state on Sunday night when a military drone operation targeting insurgents in northern Nigeria went terribly wrong, killing over 100 civilians and injuring several others.
The drone strike missed its mark and instead hit crowds of Muslim civilians gathered in Tudun Biri village for festivities celebrating Maulud. According to initial reports, the misguided strike resulted in the deaths of villagers partaking in the religious celebrations.
Nigeria’s military, which is backed by the United States, Britain and other non-Western allies in a long war against Islamist insurgents in the northeast, has also been unleashing deadly aerial assaults for years in other parts of the country.
The attack on Sunday night in Tudun Biri village of Kaduna state’s Igabi council area took place as Muslims gathered there to observe the holiday celebrating the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, Mawlid al-Nabi.
According to the Amnesty International’s Nigeria office, 120 people were killed in the attack, citing reports of its workers and volunteers in the area.
“Many of them were children (and) more dead bodies are being discovered,” Isa Sanusi, the group’s director in Nigeria, told The Associated Press.
At least 50 bodies were recovered, according to Igabi resident Mustapha Rufai. “They said they mistakenly threw a bomb on them,” he said
Kaduna governor Uba Sani said Muslims taking part in Maulud celebrations in Tudun Biri village “were mistakenly killed and many others injured following a military drone attack targeting terrorists and bandits”.
Sani gave no indication of the numbers involved, but a religious leader put it at 50 dead and two witnesses said 80 had been killed. Reuters could not independently confirm the numbers due to the security challenges in the region.
Sani’s deputy had earlier called a security meeting that was attended by heads of security agencies, religious and traditional leaders to review the incident.
“The General Officer Commanding One Division Nigerian Army, Major VU Okoro explained that the Nigerian Army was on a routine mission against terrorists but inadvertently affected members of the community,” Samuel Aruwan, Kaduna’s internal affairs commissioner said in a statement after the meeting.
The latest bombing caused outrage among citizens, reminding many of the rampant allegations of human rights abuses by Nigerian security forces that have raised concerns from Western allies, including the United States.
