No fewer than 76 people have now been confirmed killed in Tuesday’s accidental Nigerian Air Force strike on an Internally Displaced Persons, IDP camp, at Rann in Borno state.
More than 100 were wounded, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement (ICRC) said on Wednesday. The death toll on Tuesday was given as 52 and 120 wounded by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF).
The air force has said an unspecified number of civilians were killed and wounded in the mistaken strike in Borno state.
The air force regretted the accidental attack, which was aimed at Boko Haram group.
ICRC said six Nigeria Red Cross members were killed and 13 wounded. “In addition to aid staff, it is estimated that 70 people have been killed and more than a hundred wounded,” it said in a statement.
Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the information minister, said “the accidental bombing is not a true reflection of the level of professionalism” he had witnessed in the air force, in a statement issued earlier today.
He described as utterly tragic the accidental bombing of a civilian community in Rann, Borno State, by a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) jet, causing deaths and injuries.
Alhaji Mohammed, who on Monday led members of the BBOG and the media to Yola, where the Air Component of the fight against Boko Haram is based, said he was particularly saddened because the accidental bombing is not a true reflection of the level of professionalism that he witnessed during the visit
”One of the things we went away with after spending some two days at the Tactical Air Command in Yola is the strict adherence to operational guidelines and the high level of professionalism of the officers and men, especially the young pilots who fly high-risk missions day and night.
”Among others, we witnessed pre- and post-mission briefings for the pilots, the high attention paid to details, especially concerning emergencies and weather, and the evacuation plan in case of accidents.
We heard that on several occasions during their sorties, fighter pilots have had to hold their fire after observing the movement of women and children in Sambisa. We also witnessed the same careful disposition when we flew to Sambisa with the pilots.
”It therefore came to me as a rude shock to learn, a few hours after leaving Yola, that one of the fighter jets has accidentally bombed civilians, including aid workers,” he said.
The Minister urged the NAF to continue to take the necessary measures to avoid civilian casualties, as it carries out its challenging task of keeping Nigerians safe
