Nigeria’s president vowed Monday to thoroughly investigate the killing of around 100 civilians at a religious gathering in a mistaken airstrike by the army.
Bola Tinubu announced the probe in an address at the opening of a three-day conference of Nigerian army commanders and senior officers in the northeastern city of Maiduguri, the Boko Haram terrorist group’s heartland.
“The incident in Kaduna State was a compound tragedy. It is severely painful to see harm befall those we have sworn to protect. Such incidents must be thoroughly investigated,” Tinubu told service chiefs, operational and field commanders and heads of army formations.
He said the investigation was being undertaken to ensure that the military does not repeat such an error in the future.
On Dec. 3, an army drone struck the gathering in the village of Tudun Biri. The army has admitted it was an error.
Tinubu urged the military to be focused and collaborate with other security agencies to contain terrorism, banditry, kidnappings and other criminal acts to allow one of Africa’s largest democracies to survive in a peaceful environment.
“The fate of our beloved nation rests in the hands of our armed forces,” he said.
He said Nigeria has been facing “dangerous, shadowy enemies” who aim to overturn the country’s democratic and peaceful life.