Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has been involved in several incidents of accidental airstrikes that have killed and injured hundreds of civilians in the past five years, raising questions about its operational standards and accountability.
The latest incident occurred on Sunday, December 4, 2023, in Tundun Biri, a community in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna, where a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jet bombed scores of Muslim worshippers who were celebrating the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (Maulid Nabiyy).
According to a social activist and former federal lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, the aerial bombardment by the Nigerian Air Force was a mistake that claimed many innocent lives.
The Nigerian Air Force spokesperson, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, confirmed the incident and said that the NAF was investigating the cause of the error.
This was not the first time that the NAF had bombed civilians instead of its intended targets.
In January 2017, a NAF jet dropped two bombs on a camp of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Rann, Borno, killing at least 126 people and injuring more than 200 others.
The NAF claimed that it was a “regrettable operational mistake” and that it had received faulty intelligence that Boko Haram militants were gathering in the area.
In July 2019, another NAF jet mistakenly bombed a village in Gajigana, Borno, killing at least 20 civilians and injuring several others.
The Nigerian Air Force said that it was targeting Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters who had attacked a nearby military base, but that the jet “strayed off its original coordinates” due to bad weather.
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In February 2020, a NAF helicopter gunship fired rockets at a village in Garkida, Adamawa state, killing two children and injuring several others. The NAF said that it was responding to an attack by ISWAP militants on a NAF base in the area, but that the helicopter “experienced a weapon system malfunction” that resulted in “unintended discharge of munitions”.
In September 2020, a NAF jet bombed a village in Bama, Borno, killing at least 10 civilians and injuring many others. The NAF said that it was conducting a “routine air interdiction mission” to support ground troops fighting Boko Haram, but that the jet “inadvertently released a bomb” that hit the village.
These incidents have sparked outrage and condemnation from human rights groups, civil society organisations, and the affected communities, who have demanded justice and compensation for the victims and their families. They have also called for an independent and transparent investigation into the NAF’s operations and procedures, as well as the prosecution of those responsible for the errors .
The Nigerian Air Force has expressed its condolences and regrets for the civilian casualties, and has promised to take measures to prevent such occurrences in the future. However, it has not disclosed the findings or outcomes of its internal investigations, nor has it held anyone accountable for the mistakes.
Some analysts have suggested that the NAF’s repeated blunders are due to a lack of adequate training, equipment, intelligence, and coordination among its personnel and units, as well as the pressure to combat the multiple security threats facing the country .
They have also urged the NAF to improve its standards and practices, and to ensure that it respects the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution in the use of force, as required by international humanitarian law.
The NAF is one of the largest and most active air forces in Africa, with a fleet of over 200 aircraft and a personnel strength of over 10,000. It has been playing a vital role in the fight against insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, and other forms of violence in Nigeria, especially in the north-eastern region .
However, its record of accidental airstrikes has tarnished its reputation and credibility, and has undermined its efforts to protect and serve the Nigerian people .