No fewer than 95 persons have been confirmed dead in the bombing error committed by a Nigerian Air Force pilot in pursuit of Boko Haram members in Rann village, Borno State on Tuesday.
The latest figure was released by Medecins Sans Frontieres, also known as Doctors Without Borders, which however said that does not represent the final figure.
The casualties of the bombing included members of the Medicins Sans Frontieres, the International Committee of Red Cross, other aid workers, refugees and military men.
The pilot was said to be on a mission to dislodge some Boko Haram members in Kala village of Borno State when he mistakenly fired into the Internally displaced Persons camp at about 9am.
Medecins Sans Frontieres had initially put the figure of the dead at 50 and injured at 120.
Six workers of the ICRC were among the dead, while 13 others were injured.
The NigerianAir Force said in a statement on Tuesday that it had commenced investigation into the accidental air strike.
The NAF Director of Information and Public Relations, Group Captain Ayodele Famuyiwa, said in a statement: “We are saddened by today’s accidental air strike by our fighter jet at Rann, in which innocent lives were lost. While available information is still sketchy, the loss occasioned by this unfortunate incident is deeply regretted.
“We commiserate with the affected families and would update the public as soon as detailed facts emerge from the investigation.”
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