Nigerian Military Drone Kills at Least 85 Civilians
The Facts
Nigeria's government stated on Tuesday that one of its military drones mistakenly killed at least 85 civilians who gathered to celebrate a Muslim festival on Sunday night in Tudun Biri village in the northern state of Kaduna while supposedly targeting "terrorists and bandits."
The National Emergency Management Agency of Nigeria reported, citing local authorities, that 85 corpses have so far been buried and another 66 have been hospitalized. Emergency officials are negotiating with community leaders to calm tensions to reach the village.
The Spin
Narrative A
This is the tenth time Nigeria's military has mistakenly struck civilians instead of the actual enemy — with a record like that, it makes sense that the government shamefully waited a day to inform the public of this debacle. As the government continues its embarrassing practice of failed drone strikes, it has yet to rescue dozens of students and university staff who have been held hostage by militants for 72 days. Until that happens, the least the government can do is immediately compensate the families of the latest victims sent to their graves too soon.
Narrative B
In its fight against the militants infecting the nation, Nigeria's Army has nothing but sympathy for civilians caught in the crossfire. This is why the highest-ranking military officials have visited the area and promised to compensate those impacted by this tragic mistake. However, the need for a military presence in the region remains strong, as it wasn't until the government began its operations in Kaduna that the state was free of terrorism. The government will simultaneously investigate the incident while continuing its fight against insurgents.