Shekarau-led Northern group condemns Air Force bombings of civilians
The League of Northern Democrats (LND) under the leadership of its Chairman and former Kano State Governor, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, has expressed outrage and dismay over the repeated airstrikes by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), which have led to the tragic loss of innocent civilian lives under the guise of targeting insurgents. Spokesperson of the […]
former governor of kano state, malam ibrahim shekarau
The League of Northern Democrats (LND) under the leadership of its Chairman and former Kano State Governor, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, has expressed outrage and dismay over the repeated airstrikes by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), which have led to the tragic loss of innocent civilian lives under the guise of targeting insurgents.
Spokesperson of the league, Dr. Ladan Salihu, said on Monday in a statement that these incidents, marked by gross negligence and apparent lack of professionalism, demand immediate and decisive action to ensure accountability, justice and a thorough recalibration of Nigeria’s counter-insurgency strategies.
“The documented cases of these horrific incidents include but not limited to the following: Rann, Borno State (January 17, 2017); the bombing of an internally displaced persons camp, killing at least 115 civilians, including aid workers; Buhari Village, Yobe State (September 15, 2021), a bombing that killed 10 civilians and injured many, due to alleged intelligence failures; and Tudun Biri, Kaduna State (December 3, 2023), a drone strike on a religious gathering, killing up to 120 civilians.
“Jika da Kolo, Kaduna State (September 27, 2024), an airstrike on a mosque, claiming the lives of 24 civilians; Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa, Sokoto State (December 25, 2024), a failed operation that killed at least 10 civilians; and Tungar Kara, Maradun Local Government, Zamfara state (Saturday, January 11, 2025), an operation that killed 15 people,” Salihu said.
He said these incidents were just too many to be considered accidental as they expose not only a failure in the NAF’s operational intelligence but also a disturbing lack of commitment to civilian protection, a fundamental tenet of military professionalism and ethics.
The LND spokesman said that the continued ‘mistakes’ by the NAF call into question its sincerity and seriousness in prosecuting this war against terror.
He said that the situation where people are killed by terrorists and bandits, and by the nation’s armed forces is not acceptable.
The LND therefore, demand thorough and independent investigations into all civilian bombing incidents to uncover the facts behind these tragic events; immediate court-martial of those responsible for these failures, with the proceedings conducted publicly and transparently to assure Nigerians that justice is being served; and compensation for victims and restitution for the families of victims to help alleviate their suffering and loss.
He said, “We urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the leadership of the Nigerian Armed Forces to act decisively to restore public confidence in the military’s ability to conduct itself with professionalism and honor.
“Failure to publicly address these issues will further undermine Nigeria’s fight against terrorism and threaten the peace and stability of the nation.”