10 Civilians Killed In Botched Nigerian Airstrike Targeting Insurgents

At least 10 civilians were mistakenly killed in an airstrike targeting an insurgent group in northwestern Nigeria. The attack occurred on Christmas Day, when the Nigerian Air Force aimed at a logistics base used by the Lakurawa insurgent group in Sokoto state’s Silame area.

Edward Buba, spokesman of Nigeria’s Ministry of Defense, has explained, the airstrike was intended to destroy the insurgent base and hit members of the Lakurawa group. However, the attack had “secondary explosions” and resulted in civilian casualties it was not intended to do so. While the strike was intended to target the insurgents, civilians within its radius were caught up by the blast.

The Sokoto state government earlier stated that the airstrike happened on Wednesday morning when a civilian village was mistakenly bombed. The military later made clarification that the insurgents were the target, but innocent civilians lost their lives through collateral damage from the explosion.

The Lakurawa militant group may be a relatively new offshoot, but it is gaining much popularity and attention nowadays, especially because of political instability in its neighboring states like Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. These political disturbances somehow have prevented Nigeria from partnering with its neighbors to mitigate cross-border security issues together.

Initially, the group mobilized local support through fighting cattle rustlers and aiding communities. However, over time, the agenda of the group became increasingly radical, aiming to enforce strict interpretation of Islamic law in the border communities in the region. The evolving tactics of the group have thus fueled the rising instability in northwestern Nigeria.

Widespread Issue Of Civilian Casualties In Nigeria

Civilian deaths resulting from military airstrikes have become an all-too-frequent occurrence in Nigeria. A similar incident took place in 2023, when at least 85 civilians were killed in an accidental drone strike that targeted a religious gathering in northwest Nigeria. According to SBM Intelligence, a security firm based in Lagos, nearly 400 civilians have lost their lives in similar mistakes since 2017.

Such mistakes at such regularity raise grave concerns regarding the operational capability of the Nigerian military and its ability to prevent civilian casualties. Mistakes have only deepened mistrust between the population and government forces, thereby increasing the task of securing the affected regions.

Boko Haram And Other Militant Groups

Whereas the airstrike hit the Lakurawa insurgents, Nigeria has been grappling with the persistent threat that Boko Haram, a militant group, has presented since its launch of an insurgency in 2009 to enforce a radical interpretation of Sharia law. Boko Haram’s insurgency has caused more than 35,000 deaths and displaced over 2 million people, which has caused a humanitarian crisis in the northeastern region of Nigeria.

The government has been trying to combat Boko Haram and other militant groups, including the Lakurawa insurgents. It has been marred by operational errors, which include airstrike miscalculations that result in civilian harm.

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