By Oluwakemi Kindness
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, has called for independent investigations into reports that separate airstrikes carried out by the Nigerian and Chadian militaries killed dozens of civilians in northern Nigeria.
According to reports, around 100 civilians were killed on Sunday during clashes involving the Nigerian military and armed bandit groups in one of the deadliest days in the country’s ongoing conflict with criminal gangs.
Amnesty International said Nigerian military airstrikes on a crowded market in Zamfara State, allegedly under the control of armed gangs, killed at least 100 civilians. A resident of a nearby community reportedly placed the death toll at 117.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Türk says he was “shocked” by the reports of civilian deaths and injuries resulting from the Zamfara airstrikes.
The UN rights chief also expressed concern over reports that Chadian fighter jets bombed Boko Haram camps located on remote islands in the Lake Chad region shared by Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, and Chad.
The bombardment reportedly killed dozens of Nigerian fishermen working in areas controlled by Boko Haram, where civilians are said to be forced to pay taxes to the insurgent group.
Footage obtained by AFP reportedly showed several fishermen with severe burns receiving treatment at a hospital in Bosso, Niger.
Türk urged both Nigerian and Chadian authorities to carry out “prompt, thorough, independent and impartial investigations” into the incidents and ensure accountability for any violations of international law.
He further called on both militaries to take all necessary precautions to protect civilians during operations against Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).
“Civilians and civilian objects must never be the target of attack,” the UN rights chief stated.
