Nigeria Makes Fatal Air Strike Error

A Nigerian Air Force fighter jet made a deadly mistake which resulted in the bombing of a refugee camp for the displaced in Rann, in the north-east of the country. The Nigerian military was on a mission to target Boko Haram extremists, however, ended up mistakenly targeting the refugee camp and killing more than 100 refugees and aid workers.

Not much is known as to how this error occurred. Military commander Major General Lucky Irabor acknowledged the accidental attack on the Rann refugee camp, admitting that some civilians had been killed. Government officials and doctors say that over 200 people are currently wounded, over and above those who have perished.

Photographs taken at the scene show bloodied victims carrying children or lying on the ground awaiting treatment, surrounded by corpses covered by blankets and prayer mats.

Dr Jean-Clément Cabrol, the director of operations at Doctors without Borders, who were on the scene to assist, described the incident as follows:

“This large-scale attack on vulnerable people who have already fled from extreme violence is shocking and unacceptable”.

According to Major General Irabor, it is too soon to tell whether the error that occurred was tactical in nature. He did state that the bombing would be investigated. In any case, this is allegedly the first time that the Nigerian military has admitted to making this kind of mistake.
Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari, has expressed his utter dismay and sadness at the “regrettable operational mistake”.