Last month, over 200 civilians were killed in Borno state after the Nigerian Air Force bombed a weekly market located along the border between Yobe and Borno state. No fewer than ten cases of military bombing of civilians in different part of the country, especially in the Middle Belt and northern states, have been recorded in the last decade.
The Nigerian Air Force has reportedly bombed a village in Niger State while conducting air strikes, killing an unspecified number of civilians.
The bombing campaign happened in Guradnayi, a settlement near Kusasu in Shiroro Local Government Area of the State.
A local with intimate knowledge of the tragic incident disclosed that no fewer than twelve people were killed in a residence during the airstrike which he said happened on Sunday morning
The local identified as Auta Awododo stated that the airstrikes happened around 5 a.m., adding that many of the people killed were running away from terrorists. He disclosed that one of the victims was his cousin’s son.
“Twelve people were killed in his house. The rest were Kusasu people who were fleeing from the terrorists,” Awododo added.
According to Residents, armed men on motorcycles had passed through the area while being pursued by military aircraft.
“The military first threw a bomb near the river in Kusasu,The second bomb was dropped at Guradnayi,” Daily Post quoted a res
The Nigerian Air Force has not issued an official statement, and its spokesperson has yet to respond to enquiries.
Locals say this is not the first time civilians have been caught in the line of fire during an aerial offensive against terrorists, noting that previous airstrikes in Shiroro that resulted in civilian casualties were never fully resolved.
A security source confirmed that the armed group moved from Kusasu into neighbouring Munya, where they are still active.
“As I speak to you now, they (terrorists) are operating in Kabul near Kuchi,” the source said.
“There’s no confirmed report of abduction or killings yet, but they have rustled many cattle from communities in Munya.”
Bombing of civilians has become a recurring feature in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism and efforts to tackle general insecurity. Last month, over 200 civilians were killed in Borno state after the Nigerian Air Force bombed a weekly market located along the border between Yobe and Borno state. No fewer than ten cases of military bombing of civilians have been recorded in the last decade.
