The Defence Headquarters has announced that two Nigerian soldiers will face trial for their involvement in a drone bombing incident that resulted in the deaths of dozens of civilians in Kaduna state last year. The soldiers will undergo a court martial proceeding for their actions, or lack thereof, relating to the tragic incident, which claimed the lives of at least 85 civilians.
The drone strike occurred on December 3 during a Muslim religious celebration, and the state governor had previously characterized the civilian casualties as being “mistakenly killed” by a military drone that was purportedly targeting terrorists and bandits. President Bola Tinubu subsequently ordered an investigation into the “bombing mishap”.
Following a meticulous investigation, Maj Gen Edward Buba, a military spokesperson, confirmed on Thursday that disciplinary measures have been initiated in response to the incident. Maj Gen Buba stressed that the occurrence was a regrettable mistake and reiterated the military’s commitment to preventing similar incidents in the future.
The statement further underscored the military’s dedication to implementing precautionary measures to prevent any inadvertent strikes on civilian populations going forward.
