In a significant shift of the official stance, the Nigerian military acknowledged on Tuesday that its aerial bombardment, resulting in a minimum of 126 deaths in Kaduna on Sunday night, was a deliberate operation targeting bandits.
This operation, according to Defence Headquarters spokesman Edward Buba, aimed to eliminate bandits near an undisclosed but critical infrastructure in Ligarma Village around 10:00 p.m. on Sunday, despite the foreseen risk of civilian casualties.
Aerial surveillance captured movement of groups of persons synonymous with the terrorist tactics and modus operandi,” Mr Buba said. “The observed advance of the terrorists that were gathered posted a threat to key infrastructure within reach of the ontoward activities.”
“Accordingly, the threat was eliminated to prevent the terrorists from unleashing terror on innocent civilians,” Mr Buba added, while accusing the villagers of harbouring sympathising with bandits.
The statement from Defence Headquarters contradicted the initial claim of an army general in Kaduna, who told state officials on Monday that the airstrikes followed a precision error by combat drones deployed against armed bandits operating in the area.
Kaduna government spokesman Samuel Aruwan said Valentine Okoro, a major-general leading the Nigerian Army 1 Division headquartered in Kaduna, had admitted at a meeting that the drone operators mistook the villagers for bandits, who have been terrorising the region.
Those bombed had gathered for the Maulud celebration at about 9:00 p.m. Sunday, during which the army said terrorists were also suspected to be moving across the borders between Zamfara and Kaduna.
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