Last week’s mistaken bombing in a Kaduna community has resulted in approximately 400 Nigerians being unintentionally killed by security forces while combating insurgents and bandits. According to a report from SBM Intelligence in February 2023, the Nigerian military erroneously killed over 300 innocent Nigerians between January 2017 and January 2023. These incidents mainly occurred in the Northern part of the country, where Boko Haram, ISWAP, and bandits are causing chaos.
Some notable incidents include:
Borno:
- In January 2017, around 115 innocent Nigerians were killed when a Nigerian Air Force Jet mistakenly bombed an IDP camp near the Cameroonian border.
- In 2020, at least 17 women were reportedly killed by the Nigerian Air Force in Sakotoku village.
- In April 2021, an Air Force jet, battling Boko Haram, missed a target in Mainok, killing at least 30 soldiers.
Niger State:
- In June 2021, an offensive aerial bombardment reportedly killed wedding guests around Genu town.
- On March 3, a NAF jet killed at least 12 persons in Kuregba.
- On January 23, 2023, an unspecified number of Special Hunters were reportedly killed in an airstrike at Galadima Kogi.
Zamfara:
- On July 12, 2021, the Nigerian Air Force mistakenly killed a woman and her four children around Suburb Forest.
- In December 2022, an airstrike in Mutumji community mistakenly killed about 64 persons.
Yobe:
- In September 2021, about 10 villagers were reportedly killed after a military jet bombed a village in the Yunusari LGA.
Nasarawa:
- On January 7, 2023, a deadly airstrike on Kwatiri, Nasarawa State, claimed about 39 lives.
Kaduna:
- On December 3, a deadly drone strike by the Nigerian Army killed scores of residents celebrating an Islamic festival in Tudun Biri, Igabi Local Government Area.
The total number of persons erroneously killed by the military since 2017 until now is estimated to be above 400. A controversial Islamic cleric in Kaduna, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, alleged that the recent bomb incident was not a mistake, and similar unreported incidents have been occurring in remote villages.
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria called for a thorough investigation, compensation for victims, and measures to avoid such operational errors in the future. Vice President Kashim Shettima mentioned plans to rebuild Tudun Biri village as compensation.