In a surprising turn of events, the Nigerian military on Tuesday admitted responsibility for the aerial bombardment in Kaduna on Sunday night that killed at least 126 people. The military claims the operation was a calculated attempt to eliminate bandits who were near an unnamed “key infrastructure,” even though they knew civilian casualties were likely.
Military Justification for Bombing
Defense Headquarters spokesman Edward Buba stated that the military observed groups of individuals exhibiting “terrorist tactics and modus operandi” near the key infrastructure in Ligarma Village at approximately 10:00 p.m. on Sunday. Despite recognizing the potential for civilian casualties, the military decided to proceed with the airstrike.
“Aerial surveillance captured movement of groups of persons synonymous with the terrorist tactics and modus operandi,” Mr. Buba said. “The observed advance of the terrorists that were gathered posted a threat to key infrastructure within reach of the onward activities.”
“Accordingly, the threat was eliminated to prevent the terrorists from unleashing terror on innocent civilians,” Mr. Buba added, while also accusing the villagers of harboring bandit sympathizers.
Contradicting Statements from Military Officials
This statement contradicts the initial claim of a high-ranking army general in Kaduna, who on Monday informed state officials that the airstrikes were a result of a “precision error” by combat drones targeting armed bandits in the area.
Kaduna government spokesperson Samuel Aruwan reported that Major General Valentine Okoro, commander of the Nigerian Army 1 Division headquartered in Kaduna, admitted during a meeting that the drone operators mistook the villagers for bandits. The villagers were gathered for the Maulud celebration at 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, during which the army also suspected terrorists to be moving across the border between Zamfara and Kaduna.
Military Headquarters Claims Intentional Targeting of Bandits Despite Civilian Presence
However, the military headquarters in Abuja insists that the drone operators observed the bandits mixed with villagers but chose to drop the bombs anyway.
“The NA UAV (Nigerian Army Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) detachment observed the movement of terrorists at Ligarma, a terrorist-infested area of Kaduna State,” Mr. Buba said.
The Defense Headquarters did not disclose how many bandits were killed in the airstrike, which military sources estimated at 126 as of Monday afternoon. Villagers maintain that all the victims were civilians.
Nationwide Outrage and Lack of Presidential Response
President Bola Tinubu left Nigeria on November 29 for a global climate conference in Dubai, and his spokespersons have not issued any statement regarding this incident, which has sparked nationwide outrage.
Mr. Buba expressed regret over the civilian casualties and warned residents of hostile regions to be cautious.
Military’s Use of Drones Raises Questions
The airstrikes mark the first public acknowledgement of the army’s independent use of unmanned bombers outside of the Nigerian Air Force, which has a long history of civilian casualties attributed to “operational mistakes.” It remains unclear for how long the Nigerian Army has been operating drones without the knowledge of the Nigerian Air Force, which claims it did not conduct any operations in the affected area over the past 24 hours.
“The NAF has not carried out any air operations within Kaduna State and environs in the last 24 hours,” Air Force spokesman Edward Gabkwet said in a statement to The Gazette. “Also, note that the NAF is not the only organization operating combat armed drones in the North-Western region of Nigeria.”
Previous Incidents of Military Bombing Civilians
This incident is not the first time the Nigerian military has been accused of killing civilians. In 2021, a Nigerian Air Force Alpha jet mistakenly killed wedding guests in an aerial attack on armed bandits in Niger State. A similar bombing claimed over 100 civilian lives in January 2023.
Prior to that, in another airstrike, the Nigerian Air Force killed some Nigerian soldiers, mistaking them for insurgents. A video published by The Peoples Gazette showed a soldier reporting the incident and calling for help.
