Airstrike in Katsina Kills Civilians
By Collins Mbakwe
There was an airstrike targeting terrorists in the northwest part of the country where civilians were reported to have been killed.
The incident happened at Kunkuna in Safana Local Government Area (LGA) of Katsina State.
Details of the accident at Kunkuna village are unclear, but many lives were reportedly lost.
The incident comes amid debate about the Nigerian government’s counterterrorism tactics, which critics say too often claim the lives of innocent people.
The Nigerian government has used airstrikes in the northern axis to target bandits, Boko Haram and ISWAP, an offshoot loyal to the Islamic State. The two groups have killed more than 30,000 people in 12 years.
In 2017, a Nigerian air force fighter jet mistakenly bombed a town crowded with people who had fled Islamist militants, killing more than 50 and injuring more than 100.
In September 2021, at least 10 civilians were killed in a village in northeast Nigeria.
Edward Gabkwet, spokesman of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), could not be reached for comments on the Kunkuna incident.
