Mon Feb 17 23:13:00 UTC 2025: ## Nigerian Airstrike Kills Civilians; Amnesty International Demands Independent Inquiry
**ABUJA, NIGERIA** – Nigerian airstrikes targeting rebels in Katsina state have resulted in civilian casualties, prompting outrage and calls for a transparent investigation. While the Nigerian Air Force spokesperson, Olusola Akinboyewa, confirmed the strikes were in response to a rebel attack on a police division, he admitted that reports of civilian deaths were “deeply troubling” and that an investigation was underway.
Amnesty International, however, reported at least 10 civilian deaths in Sunday’s airstrike, characterizing it as the latest in a pattern of human rights abuses by the Nigerian military. The human rights group is urging an independent investigation into the incident.
This marks the second time this year that a Nigerian military airstrike has resulted in civilian deaths in the northwest region. A similar incident occurred in January in Zamfara state. According to SBM Intelligence, a Lagos-based research firm, Nigerian air raids have killed approximately 400 civilians since 2017. The lack of transparency surrounding previous incidents, including the December 2023 deaths of over 80 civilians in Kaduna state, has drawn sharp criticism from human rights organizations. While two military personnel faced a court martial in May 2024 for the Kaduna incident, the findings of that investigation have yet to be released. The ongoing pattern of civilian casualties raises serious concerns about the conduct of military operations in Nigeria’s conflict-ridden north.
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