CSOs: ‘Erroneous’ Military Airstrikes Killed over 470 Civilians in 11 years
Linus Aleke in Abuja
The Community of Practice Against Mass Atrocities, under the auspices of Nigeria Mourns, yesterday said that since February 2014, at least 21 ‘erroneous’ airstrikes have resulted in the deaths of more than 473 civilians and injuring several others.
These tragic incidents, which have all occurred in established indigenous communities and recognized IDP camps, the consortium of civil society organisations said suggest a disregard for the right to life and a troubling pattern of negligence within the Nigerian military.
The CSOs further expressed sadness and outrage over the avoidable and horrifying killing of innocent citizens by a Nigerian Air Force airstrike in Tungar Kara, Maradun Local Government Area, Zamfara State, on January 11, 2025.
This tragic incident, the group alleged, killed no fewer than 20 persons and devastated a significant part of the community.
A statement jointly signed by Global Rights, Civil Society Legislative and Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), and over 15 others said that the latest killings less than three weeks after a similar airstrike in the Gidan Bisa and Rumtuwa areas of Sokoto had killed at least 10 civilians, highlighting a disturbing recurring pattern of avoidable carnage.
“These events are a strong reminder of the human cost of negligence and the urgent need for accountability. It is disconcerting that the military continues to explain away these incidents as unavoidable ‘collateral damage’ in their fight against terrorism, perpetuating a cycle of impunity and indifference.
“Even when public outrage forces an admission of responsibility, as seen in the Tundun Biri incident in Kaduna in December 2023, meaningful accountability and reparative actions remain absent.
“Rather than be accountable, the military routinely denies culpability, often claiming that only “security threats” were “neutralized”. Under public pressure, it promises investigations, which rarely lead to actionable outcomes.
“When admissions of errors eventually surface, there is no concrete plan to prevent future tragedies or to provide compensation and rehabilitation for those affected by these horrific violations of human rights,” the group said.
The CSOs said that the military’s decade-long track record hallmarked by 22 accidental airstrikes highlights the critical need for an immediate review of civilian safety protocols, aviation equipment standards, intelligence systems, proportionality in the use of force, and the retraining of bomber pilots.
To address these systemic issues, the group demanded: “The Nigerian Government must conduct an independent, comprehensive, and transparent investigation of the Tungar Kara bombing and all other “accidental” attacks on civilians to ensure accountability.
” Findings from these investigations must be published and accessible to the public in a timely manner to promote transparency and rebuild public trust. The Nigerian Military must review its operational protocols to enhance intelligence gathering, improve precision in targeting, and minimize civilian casualties during military operations.
“The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) must leverage its authority to demand accountability and justice for affected individuals. This includes ensuring equitable compensation and rehabilitation for victims and their families to help them recover from the profound loss and devastation”
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), has since instituted an investigative panel to look into the alleged killing of innocent civilians in Zamfara by its airstrikes that targeted bandit strongholds.
