The United Nations, UN, has condemned an airstrike on a community in northern Nigeria that killed several civilians due to a misreading of events at the scene.
Recall that a Nigerian Army drone targeting armed groups accidentally killed at least 85 civilians in northwest Kaduna State, sparking uproar over one of the country’s biggest military bombing incidents.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered a probe Tuesday after the army admitted one of its drones had erroneously attacked the town of Tudun Biri as inhabitants celebrated a Muslim festival.
The United Nations Human Rights Office condemned the incident, adding that it was the most recent of at least four bombings that resulted in severe civilian casualties since 2017.
“While we note that the authorities have termed the civilian deaths as accidental, we call on them to take all feasible steps in the future to ensure civilians and civilian infrastructure are protected,” UN Human Rights Office spokesperson, Seif Magango, said in a statement.
“They must review rules of engagement and standard operating procedures to ensure that such incidents do not happen again.”
