“It’s a lie, NAF dropped bombs on us thrice” – Victim of Nigerian Air Force’s “accidental” bombing
Victims of the “accidental” bomb blast that rocked Internally Displaced Persons’ camp in Rann, Borno State have rubbished the Nigerian Air Force’s claim that the bombing was a mistake as untrue.
One of the victims, identified as Abdulwahab Adam, said the camp was bombed at least thrice.
The incident occurred on Tuesday, when a NAF fighter jet “accidentally” dropped bombs on the camp, leaving several unarmed civilians, including aid workers, dead.
Officials of Doctors Without Borders (Medecins Sans Frontieres), International Committee of the Red Cross, soldiers and some refugees were victims of the unfortunate incident.
Adam, who is receiving treatment at the General Hospital, Maiduguri told Punch, “The bombs were dropped on us thrice and there was no way a mistake could be made thrice.
“There was nothing accidental about the attack and it could not be referred to as a mistake.
“The Federal Government should stop telling Nigerians that it was a mistake; for this was not. It was nothing but an unprovoked attack on a civilian populace.
“This was not a new camp and the attack happened when people queued up to receive humanitarian materials.”
Another victim, Abba Yusuf said there was no way the force could explain being unaware of the activities going on in the camp.
“Could they have been blindfolded to know that we were in a queue and we were unarmed or could they have mistaken the IDPs camp for the haven of insurgents?” he queried.
International Committee of the Red Cross said in a statement on Wednesday, that “around 90 patients remain in Rann, out of whom 46 are severely injured and need to be evacuated to Maiduguri as a matter of urgency.”
Earlier, President Buhari sent delegates to the camp to condole with the people and government of Borno State over the unfortunate air strike.
One of the delegates, Alhaji Abba Kyari who is the Chief of Staff to the President, said the Federal Government would bear the cost of the treatment of all those wounded and who are receiving attention at hospitals in Maiduguri and its environs.
The Human Rights Watch has called for a compensation that is “prompt, adequate and effective” for the victims of the IDPs camp bombing.
