Several civilians were killed in an airstrike by the Nigerian military targeting rebels in the northwest region, authorities confirmed on Monday. The strike, carried out by the Nigerian Air Force in Katsina State’s Safana area, was a response to a recent attack on a police division by rebels. While the exact number of casualties has not been disclosed, the air force’s spokesperson, Olusola Akinboyewa, acknowledged the civilian deaths and announced an ongoing investigation.
This incident marks the second time this year that a Nigerian military airstrike has resulted in civilian casualties. In January, another strike in Zamfara state mistakenly killed civilians working for community security outfits. Since 2017, military air raids in Nigeria’s volatile northwestern region have resulted in approximately 400 civilian deaths, according to SBM Intelligence, a Lagos-based research firm.
The use of airstrikes remains a key tactic in Nigeria’s battle against extremists who have plagued the north, but the high risk of collateral damage continues to raise concerns.
Nigerian Air Force C 130 Picture by Bob Adams on Wikimedia CC BY-SA 2.0
