Soldiers who dropped bombs on IDPs should be punished

Like mistakenly dropping bombs atop the heads of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

On Tuesday, January 17, 2017, a Nigerian Airforce fighter jet got its coordinates wrong and struck a camp milling with IDPs, staff of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Medicine San Frontiers (Doctors without Borders).

By the time the dust settled around Kala Balge local government area of Borno State, where the camp is situated, more than 100 civilians had been confirmed dead and many more left critically injured.

Their only offence was being at the right place at the wrong time, through no fault of theirs.

How do you mistakenly drop bombs on displaced persons?

Theater Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole (code name for this phase of the war against terrorist sect Boko Haram), Major General Lucky Irabor, said the air-strike stemmed from a miscalculation.

ALSO READ: Scores killed, 120 injured in 'misfire,' MSF confirms

"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 component of the operation should go and address the problem.

“Unfortunately, the strike was conducted but it turned out that the locals somewhere in were affected.

“We are yet to get the details of the casualties. But we heard that some civilians were killed, others were wounded and we also have two of our soldiers that were also wounded. Among some that were wounded were local staff of the Medecines Sans Frontiers (Doctors Without Borders) as well as ICRC,” Irabor said.

In a statement made available to Pulse, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) said it was saddened by the incident.

“NAF is saddened by the accidental air strike by its fighter jet at Rann in Kala Balge area of Borno State in which some innocent lives were lost.

"The loss occasioned by this unfortunate incident is deeply regretted.

“NAF commiserates with those affected and their families and would update the public as soon as detailed facts emerge from the investigation,” the statement read.

President Muhammadu Buhari has described the incident as a "regrettable operational mistake".

The President also promised to team up with the Borno State government to aid the wounded and their families and provide whatever support is needed.

Speaker Yakubu Dogara, Senate President Bukola Saraki and Borno Governor Kashim Shettima, have also thrown in their condolences.

"For now, all focus should be on the evacuation of victims and the provision of emergency medical services to them with the hope that they quickly recover,” Shettima said in a statement.

While we all pray that the souls of the victims rest in peace and cater to the wounded, attention should also immediately shift to why this kind of mistake occurred in the first place, in order to avoid a repeat.

It's bad enough that Nigerians fleeing Boko Haram bombs have been forced to endure harrowing and deplorable living conditions in crowded camps in the North of Nigeria. To have these same Nigerians bombed by their own government is simply unacceptable.

ALSO READ: "NAF officers are highly professional," says Lai Mohammed

Yes, mistakes do happen in war time and civilian casualties are often the unwanted consequences of a war of this kind. But by jove, how do you drop a bomb from a military aircraft without being absolutely sure?

Was there nothing in the geo-location app in the aircraft that could show that an IDP camp was in the neighbourhood?

Was there sufficient communication between air and ground troops to have warranted the air-strike?

How many more Nigerians have been killed by 'mistaken air-strikes' who we never heard of because their brutal murders never made the headlines?

It was a horrendous piece of mistake and General Irabor and his men have a lot more explaining to do.

It was a sloppy piece of work and heads have got to roll.

The military high command should immediately set up a panel to review this fatal error and mete out appropriate punishment to the culprits.