“Wanton killing of innocent civilians is terrorism, not a war against terrorism.”
— Noam Chomsky
The Community of Practice Against Mass Atrocities, under the auspices of Nigeria Mourns, expresses profound sadness and outrage over the avoidable and horrifying killing of innocent citizens by a Nigerian Air Force airstrike in Tungar Kara, Maradun Local Government Area, Zamfara State, on January 11, 2025. This tragic incident claimed at least 20 lives and devastated a significant part of the community. Its occurrence less than three weeks after a similar airstrike in the Gidan Bisa and Rumtuwa areas of Sokoto had killed at least 10 civilians, highlights a disturbing recurring pattern of avoidable carnage. These events are a strong reminder of the human cost of negligence and the urgent need for accountability.
Since February 2014, when a Nigerian military aircraft bombed Daglun Village in Borno State, killing at least 20 people, similar “erroneous” incidents have occurred in at least 21 airstrikes, resulting in the deaths of more than 473 civilians and injuring several others. These tragic incidents, which have all occurred in established indigenous communities and recognized IDP camps, suggest a disregard for the right to life and a troubling pattern of negligence within the Nigerian military.
It is disconcerting that the military continues to explain away these incidents as unavoidable “collateral damage” in their fight against terrorism, perpetuating a cycle of impunity and indifference. Even when public outrage forces an admission of responsibility, as seen in the Tundun Biri incident in Kaduna in December 2023, meaningful accountability and reparative actions remain absent.
Rather than be accountable, the military routinely denies culpability, often claiming that only “security threats” were “neutralized”. Under public pressure, it promises investigations, which rarely lead to actionable outcomes. When admissions of errors eventually surface, there is no concrete plan to prevent future tragedies or to provide compensation and rehabilitation for those affected by these horrific violations of human rights.
The military’s decade-long track record hallmarked by 22 accidental airstrikes highlights the critical need for an immediate review of civilian safety protocols, aviation equipment standards, intelligence systems, proportionality in the use of force, and the retraining of bomber pilots. To address these systemic issues, the Community of Practice Against Mass Atrocities demands the following:
- Independent Investigations: The Nigerian Government must conduct an independent, comprehensive, and transparent investigation of the Tungar Kara bombing and all other “accidental” attacks on civilians to ensure accountability.
- Public Disclosure: Findings from these investigations must be published and accessible to the public in a timely manner to promote transparency and rebuild public trust.
- Operational Reforms: The Nigerian Military must review its operational protocols to enhance intelligence gathering, improve precision in targeting, and minimize civilian casualties during military operations.
- Justice for Affected Communities: The National Human Rights Commission must leverage its authority to demand accountability and justice for affected individuals. This includes ensuring equitable compensation and rehabilitation for victims and their families to help them recover from the profound loss and devastation.
We stand in solidarity with the affected communities and everyone who has lost loved ones, property, or livelihood in these horrific incidents. We remind the Nigerian Government that an effective counterterrorism strategy hinges on a strong public-private partnership, which can only thrive when deep-seated distrust in the government and its security agencies is addressed. This requires unwavering commitment to transparency, accountability, professionalism, respect for human rights, and continuous improvement within the Nigerian military to prevent further civilian harm and restore public confidence.
Signed on behalf of the CSOs and other members of the Community of Practice Against Mass Atrocities.
Global Rights
Advocacy Centre for Development (AC4D),
African Initiative for Peace Building, Advocacy and Advancement (AfriPeace)
All-4-One Humanity Development Foundation
Alliances for Africa
Almajiri Child Rights Initiative (ACRI)
Bauchi Human Rights Network
BenDeF
Center for Community Excellence
Civil Society Legislative and Advocacy Centre (CISLAC)
Grassroots Development Monitoring and Advocacy Centre
Initiatives for Social Development in Africa (iSODAF)
Mowalek Centre for Sustainable Community Development
Neighbourhood Environment Watch Foundation
OnlineHubNG
Sesor Empowerment Foundation
Srarina Initiative for Peace, Justice and Development
We the People