ABUJA, Dec. 4 (Xinhua) -- Nigerian troops mistakenly targeted a village during an anti-terror bombing operation, resulting in the deaths of at least 30 innocent villagers in the northern state of Kaduna, a local official said Monday.
Samuel Aruwan, the commissioner for internal security and home affairs in Kaduna, said in a statement that the Nigerian army admitted to the "error" during a stakeholders' meeting Monday with government officials following the tragic incident in the Igabi local government area late Sunday.
The incident unfolded as part of a military operation aimed at rooting out terrorist elements in the region, Aruwan said. Due to a grave miscalculation, however, the airstrike struck a residential area instead of the intended target, causing significant loss of life among the local population.
Local media reported at least 30 people were killed following the unfortunate incident, adding dozens of others were evacuated to a local hospital.
The meeting was convened Monday to address the tragic consequences of the operation and discuss ways to prevent such errors in the future.
The government of Kaduna has expressed its deep condolences to the families affected, the statement added.
