At Least 85 Civilians Killed in Drone Strike in Nigeria

At least 85 civilians were killed when an army drone attack erroneously targeted a religious gathering in northwest Nigeria, officials confirmed Tuesday. The strike took place Sunday night in Kaduna state's Tudun Biri village while residents observed the Muslim holiday marking the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad. The military believed it was "targeting terrorists and bandits, officials said.

President Orders Probe

Nigerian President Bola Tinubu ordered "a thorough and full-fledged investigation into the incident.” However, such investigations and their outcomes are often shrouded in secrecy.

Drone Strike Casualties

At least 66 people also were injured in the attack, the National Emergency Management Agency said in a statement. Eighty-five bodies, including of children, women, and the elderly, have been buried so far, as a search continues for any additional victims, the agency said.

Military Apologizes

Nigeria's army chief, Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, apologised for the drone strike during a visit to the village Tuesday and said it had been carried out based on the observation of some tactics usually employed by bandits”. "Unfortunately, the reports we got revealed it was innocent civilians that the drone conducted a strike on,” Lagbaja said.

History of Miscalculated Airstrikes

Since 2017, some 400 civilians have been killed by airstrikes that the military said were targeting armed groups in the deadly security crisis in the country's north, according to the Lagos-based SBM Intelligence security firm. "The incidence of miscalculated airstrikes is assuming a worrisome dimension in the country,” said Atiku Abubakar, Nigeria's former vice-president and the main opposition presidential candidate in this year's election.

Lack of Accountability

Analysts have in the past raised concerns about the lack of collaboration among Nigerian security agencies as well as the absence of due diligence in some of their special operations in conflict zones. "The military sees itself as a little bit over and above civilian accountability as it were,” said Kabir Adamu, the founder of Beacon Consulting, a security firm based in Nigeria's capital, Abuja.

The Nigerian military's use of drone strikes has come under scrutiny after a series of deadly incidents involving civilians. The government has ordered an investigation into the latest strike, but critics say that such probes often lack transparency and accountability. The military needs to take steps to ensure that its use of drones is more precise and that civilians are not put at risk.