The Defence Headquarters says the drone attack on the Ligarma community in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Sunday was based on information about untoward activities of terrorists in the area.
This is contained in a statement by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. Edward Buba on Tuesday in Abuja.
Buba said 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.
He said the aerial surveillance captured the movement of groups of persons synonymous with the terrorist tactics and modus operandi.
Buba explained that the observed advance of the terrorist that was gathered posed a threat to key infrastructure within reach of their activities.
According to him, the threat was eliminated to prevent the terrorists from unleashing terror on innocent civilians.
“It should be noted that terrorists often deliberately embed themselves within civilian population centres for the 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.
The Nigerian Army had denied involvement in the unfortunate attack that claimed the lives of over 100 villagers.
