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Buhari, Nigerians mourn fighter jet misfires
Nigerians have continued to mourn the disaster that occurred yesterday while a Nigerian jet fighter misfired and caused casualty in Kala Balge area of Borno State.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the Nigeria Army has said a fighter jet misfired and shot some humanitarian aid workers of the International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC), recording casualties.
“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,’’ Maj.-Gen. Lucky Irabor, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, said on Tuesday in Maiduguri.
The shots hit the Medicines Sans Frontiers and some civilians in Kala Balge in Borno state in northeast during an operation.
“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.’’
He said some humanitarian staff of Medicines Sans Frontiers and some staff of International Committee of Red Cross(ICRC) were also affected.
“We are sending helicopters to evacuate those that were critically wounded, including our wounded soldiers,” Irabor said.
Meanwhile, Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari has sent condolences to the families of the dead and also commiserated with the Borno State government.
He also promised federal help for the state government in attending to “this regrettable operational mistake.”
Source: NAN
