Nigerian army drone malfunctions, kills 85 in a festival
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Nigeria's armed forces frequently employ air strikes against targets in the northwestern and northeastern regions, which have served as a hotbed for terrorist activities for over a decade.
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Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu arrives for the closing session of the New Global Financial Pact Summit, on June 23, 2023. (AP)
An incident involving a Nigerian army drone strike resulted in the death of at least 85 civilians on Sunday in the village of Tudun Biri in northwest Kaduna State.
The incident occurred as locals were joyously celebrating a Muslim festival, turning a festive occasion into one of Nigeria's deadliest military mishaps.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu swiftly ordered an investigation into the incident after the army acknowledged that the drone, which was intended for armed groups, targeted the residential village. Although the army refrained from providing casualty figures, local reports suggest that 85 people, predominantly women and children, lost their lives in the tragic event.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) stated, "The Northwest Zonal Office has received details from the local authorities that 85 dead bodies have so far been buried while the search is still ongoing."
Additionally, NEMA reported that an additional 66 individuals are currently receiving treatment at hospitals, and emergency officials are in talks with community leaders to ease tensions and facilitate access to the affected village.
President Tinubu expressed his indignation and grief over the incident, describing it as "very unfortunate, disturbing, and painful."
Nigeria's armed forces frequently employ air strikes against targets in the northwestern and northeastern regions, which have served as a hotbed for terrorist activities for over a decade.
This unfortunate incident sheds light on the challenges faced by Nigeria, where terrorist groups have long been a menace to local communities, operating from remote forest bases from which they would frequently launch raids. The conflict has claimed over 40,000 lives and displaced 2 million people since 2009.
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