Kills 52, injures 120 others
It’s regrettable – Military
Buhari, Shettima mourn
By Musa Umar Bologi, Abdullahi M. Gulloma, Abuja and Sadiq Abubakar, Maiduguri
The fight against the insurgency yesterday took a tragic dimension when the Nigerian Air Force fighter jet, in error, bombed the Internally Displaced Persons’ camp in Rann, headquarters of Kala-Balge Local Government Area of Borno state.
Although the Army could not give a specific figure of the casualties, one of the service providers in the camp, MSF, otherwise known as Doctors Without Borders, confirmed that not less than 52 people were killed, with about 120 others sustaining various degree of injuries.
The victims cut across the IDPs, MSF members, those of the International Committee of Red Cross Society, the IDPs as well as some soldiers.
The MSF, whose officials were present at the camp when the incident occurred, gave the figures in a statement issued to the media yesterday.
The Nigerian military has owned up to the incident, but yet to give casualty figures. Defence spokesman, Brigadier-General Rabe Abubakar, who disclosed this, expressed regret over the tragic occurrence.
The casualty provided by the MSF puts the death toll as one of the highest in the state in recent times from a single incident. The organisation said it was currently providing first aid to the injured.
MSF’s Director of Operations, Jean-Clément Cabrol, said, “this large-scale attack on vulnerable people who have already fled from extreme violence is shocking and unacceptable.
“The safety of civilians must be respected. We are urgently calling on all parties to ensure the facilitation of medical evacuations by air or road for survivors who are in need of emergency care.”
Military owns up
Addressing journalists, Theatre Commander of Nigerian forces in Borno, Major-General Lucky Irabor, said he authorised the air raid.
Irabor said: “This morning today, we received reports about gathering of Boko Haram terrorists somewhere in Kala Balge Local Government Area of Borno state. We got a coordinate and I directed that the air should go to address the problem.
“Unfortunately the strike was conducted but it turned out that the locals somewhere in Rann were affected.
“We are yet to get the details of the casualties. But we have some civilians that have been killed, others are wounded and we also have two of our soldiers that were also wounded. Among some that are wounded are local staff of the Medicine Sans Frontiers as well as ICRC.”
In a similar confirmation, Defence Spokesman, Brigaadier-General Abubakar confirmed the incident, saying it was an error that the military deeply regretted.
He said the military got information of movement of Boko Haram members and deployed ground troops and air cover to tackle the terrorists, “unfortunately the air support accidentally dropped the bomb in the camp.”
Shettima orders immediate response
Meanwhile, Governor Kashim Shettima, has ordered the state Ministry of Health to set up emergency treatment centres in all state government-owned hospitals in Maiduguri, including the State Specialist Hospital.
Governor’s spokesman, Isa Gusau, said in a statement emailed to journalists, that Shettima received the news with very deep concern, even as he channelled his focus on ensuring that all the victims, particularly those with severe injuries, were provided urgent medical treatment.
International Committee of the Red Cross and Red Crescent has also deployed helicopter to begin evacuation of victims, starting with those having critical health conditions.
Shettima, particularly, commended the MSF for its rapid response in providing first aid treatment to victims at the scene.
Buhari
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed regrets over the accidental bombing, describing it as operational mistake.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, the president condoled with families of the dead, and wished the wounded divine succour, leading to full recovery.
The President pledged federal government’s help for the state government in attending to “this regrettable operational mistake,” and pleaded for calm.
He also prayed God to grant repose to the souls of the dead.
