The British High Commissioner to Nigeria Paul Arkwright yesterday stated that the bombing of the Internally Displaced Persons Camp in Borno State by the Air Force was not deliberate.
He said the ongoing probe of the bombing error should enable the nation to avoid such mistakes in future and he further reiterated the British support to the Federal Government to defeat Boko Haram.
He also said Britain might back a military action in The Gambia.
Arkwright spoke in a telephone interview with Nigeria Info FM, Port Harcourt.
The transcript of the interview was released last night.
He said: “First of all can I express my deepest sympathy to all of those who are affected by this terrible bombing. I do think it was a tragic mistake.
“I’ve seen some suggestions that it was deliberate; I’m absolutely certain that it was not deliberate.
“What is important here is in the short term, doing the best for those who have been injured, the families of those who have been bereaved , and I know that the Federal Government and the state government and indeed international NGOs are working very hard to help the wounded to make sure they get proper medical treatment, and to take the necessary actions there. That’s in the short term.
“I think what’s also necessary is a thorough investigation by the Nigerian Air force or the Nigerian military to determine exactly what happened, because clearly it was a mistake.
“Mistakes can occur, what’s really important is that the right actions are taken to avoid such mistakes happening again. And until that investigation happens, I don’t think it’s appropriate to speculate on what happened or whether people had imagery or whether they knew that these were Boko Haram terrorists or civilians.
“Let’s wait for that investigation, but as I have been doing, let’s make sure that whatever the outcome of that investigation, it means that the necessary processes are followed and amended if necessary, so that something as terrible as this doesn’t happen again.”
Arkwright said the UK would continue to support Nigeria until Boko Haram is defeated.
On Gambia, he said: “We certainly want to avoid an armed intervention but we would support military action as the only means left to ensure that the will of the people of The Gambia is respected, and that the constitution is followed.
“It’s now what we want, but if it comes to it and all the necessary legal requirements are in place then the UK will certainly support it.”
Human Rights watch said yesterday that satellite imagery supported witness accounts that the military bombed a refugee camp with “multiple air-dropped munitions,” even though tents should have been easily visible.
The bombing has horrified the international community, with U.N. refugee chief, Filippo Grandi, calling it “a truly catastrophic event.”
“The Nigerian military has taken an important and rare step in accepting responsibility for this horrible attack,” said Mausi Segun, senior Nigeria researcher for Human Rights Watch. “Now it should go further by explaining how it came to attack a displacement settlement, and by compensating the wounded and relatives of those who lost their lives.”
The Red Cross said yesterday it had evacuated nearly 90 people from Rann to the city of Maiduguri for “critical medical care.”