Many Dead As Nigerian Air Force Bombs Civilians Holding Religious Festival In Kaduna State

The Nigerian Air Force on Sunday allegedly killed scores of worshippers celebrating the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (Maulid Nabiyy) in a community called, Tundun Biri in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, a social activist and former federal lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, has said.

He added that the Muslim worshippers were killed by Ariel bombardment by the Nigerian Air Force operatives.

The NAF has not officially reacted to the federal lawmaker’s statement.

Posting on his verified X profile. He said, “The translation of this post reveals that scores of people were killed yesterday by Ariel bombardment during a religious festival in a village near the Kaduna Airport. Clarification is needed CC  @NigAirForce @DefenceInfoNG.”

https://x.com/ShehuSani/status/1731586330348441739?s=20

Nura MC Khan, who claimed to be a resident of the community also confirmed the incident on his Instagram page.

He wrote:  “IN OUR VILLAGE (TUDUN BIRl) LOCATED IN IGABI LGA BEHIND KADUNAAIRPORl. THE PEOPLE OF THE VILLAGE ARE ATTENDING THE MAULUD OF THE PROPHET SAW. THEN A PLANE CAME DOWN   THE BOMBERS WHERE MANY PEOPLE DIED UNTIL NOW THE NUMBER OF THE PEOPLE WHO DIED ls UNKNOWN. GOD BLESS THEM AND FORGIVE THEM AND MAKE OUR FUTURE PARADISE.”
https://x.com/OgaMayorr/status/1731588007143059486?s=20

Many villagers in the past have reported some civilian casualties in aerial bombardments in Nigeria.

For Instance, in July 2022, SaharaReporters reported a fighter jet operated by the Nigerian Air Force bombed Kunkuna village in the Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State, killing scores of residents.

“A military jet earlier today dropped airstrikes on Kunkuna Village in Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State. We cannot confirm the number of casualties now,” a source had said.

In 2020, a military jet deployed to repel an attack by Boko Haram dropped a bomb that landed in a compound where civilians were having child christening.
A fighter jet also on a mission against Boko Haram extremists in April 2021 mistakenly bombed men of the Nigerian Army, killing over 20 officers.

The soldiers who were reinforced from Ngandu village were said to be on their way to Mainok, headquarters of the Kaga Local Government Area of Borno state which was under attack by militants from the Islamic State-backed faction of Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), formerly known as Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād.