A fighter jet of Nigeria's army has mistakenly bombed refugees and aid workers linked to Doctors Without Borders and the International Committee of the Red Cross during an operation against militant Islamist group Boko Haram in north-eastern Borno state, the army has said.


There were deaths and injuries, but the exact number was still unclear, Maj-Gen Lucky Irabor has been quoted by Vanguard newspaper.

“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(ICRC) were also affected. We are sending helicopters to evacuate those that were critically wounded, including our wounded soldiers,” Irabor said.