The Nigerian Defence Headquarters on Tuesday said the drone attack on Ligarma community in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Sunday, was targeted at preventing terrorists from unleashing terror on innocent civilians.
It was reported on Monday that the Nigerian military on Sunday killed scores of Muslims celebrating the birthday of Prophet Muhammad (Maulid Nabiyy) in the state.
It was gathered that the Muslim worshippers were killed by an aerial bombardment.
The army had said the airstrikes were targeting terrorists.
However, Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja, noted that the attack was based on information about untoward activities of terrorists in the area.
He explained the Nigerian Army Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) detachment had at about 2200hrs on Sunday, observed the movement of terrorists at Ligarma, known to be a terrorist-infested area of Kaduna State.
It added that aerial surveillance captured a movement of groups of persons synonymous with the terrorist tactics and modus operandi, according to a statement obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria.
He said; “It should be noted that terrorists often deliberately embed themselves within civilian population centres for civilian population to bear the consequences of their atrocities.
“Nevertheless, the Nigerian military does its best at all times to distinguish between civilians and terrorists.
“The military views every civilian death in the cause of operations as a tragedy as such tragedies are needless and unwanted, which causes the armed forces to take extensive measures to avoid them.”
He said one of such measures taken by the military was to continually give precise instructions to communities.
“For instance, communities are to always alert troops of their activities particularly when such a community is known to be infested with terrorists and their sympathisers.
“These instructions are intended at enabling the military distinguish between friendly and untoward activities,” he said.
According to him, the armed forces will continue to operate in line with international laws and will also continue its determined and cautious progress in eradicating terrorists from the land.
He said the terrorists often disguised as civilians to perpetrate terror as part of their tactics, adding that the military would continue to find innovative solutions to the challenges faced in the conduct of its operations.
