Deadly Mishap: Nigerian Army Bombs Muslim Festival, Kills 85 Civilians
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called for an investigation into the Nigerian army drone strike that happened on Sunday.
The army said one of its drones, which was targeting bandit militias, had accidentally hit the Tudun Biri village during a Muslim festival of Maulud, which commemorates the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said in a statement that 85 bodies had been buried so far and 66 people were being treated at hospital. It said the search for more victims was still ongoing, but the access to the village was hampered by the anger of the local residents, AFP reported on Tuesday.
The incident is one of the worst civilian casualties caused by the Nigerian armed forces, which often rely on air strikes to combat the bandits and terrorist groups in the north of the country.
"The president describes the incident as very unfortunate, disturbing, and painful, expressing indignation and grief over the tragic loss of Nigerian lives," the presidency said in a statement.
Many of the victims were women, children and elderly who had gathered to celebrate the religious occasion.
"I was inside the house when the first bomb was dropped... We rushed to the scene to help those affected and then a second bomb was dropped," local resident Idris Dahiru told AFP.
"My aunt, my brother's wife and her six children, wives of my four brothers were among the dead. My elder brother's family are all dead, except his infant child who survived."
Source: Agencies
