Fighter Jet Misses Boko Haram Target, Killing Several People In IDP Camp

By Daily Dispatch January 17, 2017 146

The Nigerian Army said a fighter jet in the fleet of the Nigerian Air force component of Operation Lafiya Dole has misfired and shot some humanitarian aid workers of the International Committee of Red Cross, the Medicines Sans Frontiers and some civilians in Kala Balge in Borno State during an operation.

A military jet has mistakenly dropped a bomb inside the Rann IDP camp in Borno state leading to the death of several people with a hundred injured.

The Rann IDP camp is located in Kala-balge local government area and it caters for thousands of persons displaced by Boko Haram.
Major General Lucky Irabor, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, which is battling the Boko Haram insurgency, disclosed this during a press briefing on Tuesday in Maiduguri, Borno State.
Irabor said: “This morning, we received a report about the gathering of Boko Haram terrorists around Kala Balge area of Maiduguri.
“I coordinated 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 other civilians were somewhere around the area and they were affected.
“So far, it is a little bit disturbing; death has occurred. There are casualties; there were deaths and injuries but on the actual number of casualties, we would get back to you later.
“I am yet to get the number of casualties of civilians killed, but two soldiers were also affected.
“Some humanitarian staff of Medicines Sans Frontiers and some staff of International Committee of Red Cross were also affected.
“We are sending helicopters to evacuate those that were critically wounded, including our wounded soldiers.”

The Borno state government has sent a message to all hospitals in Maiduguri to be prepared to receive and treat injured people.