Accidental Airstrike: Community claims military killed over 236

Fresh reports from Rann in Kalabalge Local Government Area (LGA) of Borno State, claimed that over 236 people were killed in the recent accidental bombardment of Internal Displaced Persons (IDPs) home in the area by the Nigerian Air Force.

While initial reports put the number of casualties tat about 52, Doctors Without Borders (MSF) on Friday claimed the number of people killed in the unfortunate event last Tuesday had climbed to 90 and may likely get up to 170.

However, a report by Channels Television quoted the officials of the local government claiming that they have already buried at least 234 people.

“We just heard bombs exploding; an aeroplane dropped them.
“(The aircraft) passed then came back again and dropped it (and) all the houses went on fire. That was what happened. Those that died were buried, some were taken to Maiduguri in the planes they brought (while) those with minor injuries were treated here,” a resident of the affected area said.

The Chairman of Kalabalge LGA, Mr Babagana Malarima, who lamented the level of destruction of lives and property, called on the Federal Government to intervene by compensating the survivors.

He said, “Our problem since this local government was created about 20 years now (is that) we need a road to link this headquarter to other parts of the state (while) the second thing is with what happened. Now, we are begging Mr President to compensate us.

“Many people have lost their loved (ones) as most of them are the bread winners. About 234 people is not a small number; we need to compensate these people. Yes! 234 buried by the community and it’s even more than this.

“The report I received from Maiduguri this morning (Saturday) is that two (persons) who are in the hospital have also died. Therefore we need to be compensated seriously. It was the market day yesterday, it was not like the normal market day. After all this is a place where our activities was on a skeletal basis but it was at the lowest ebb yesterday.”

Read also: Fulani herdsmen killed over 5,500 in Agatu crises, LGA boss reveals

Borno State government had in a statement on Friday said that two injured persons have died, confirming Mr Malarima’s claim that two in a hospital in Maiduguri also died.

The statement also added that five people have been discharged while 73 others were still hospitalised.

Kalabalge, which was among communities Boko Haram once occupied in the North East got liberated eight months ago by troops with the support of the Multi-National Joint Task Force.

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