Accidental Nigeria Airstrike Claims Lives of Religious Festival Attendees

During a Muslim religious celebration in Kaduna state, northwest Nigeria, an air strike resulted in the deaths of at least 85 civilians, according to the local emergency management authority. State Governor Uba Sani acknowledged that the civilians were mistakenly killed by a military drone that was targeting terrorists and bandits, but he did not provide an exact death toll. The defence ministry described the operation as a "needless tragedy", while dozens of people were injured in the attack. An army officer explained that the Nigerian army unintentionally affected members of the community during a routine mission against terrorists. The airstrike was conducted based on credible intelligence about the presence of terrorists in the area, according to the defence spokesman. Governor Sani has ordered an investigation into the incident, which took place during a religious festival. The National Emergency Management Agency confirmed that 85 bodies had been buried so far, noting that the casualties included children, women, and the elderly. Witnesses reported that there were two attacks, with the aircraft dropping bombs that caused significant destruction and loss of life. The aftermath of the bombing revealed bodies scattered across the area, including women holding their babies. The Nigerian military has faced allegations of causing civilian casualties while combatting militia gangs in the northwest, which the government identifies as terrorists. Accidental strikes by Nigerian forces have claimed over 300 lives since 2017, according to a report by SB Morgen.