At least 85 civilians were killed in Kaduna state, north-west Nigeria, in an air strike during a Muslim religious celebration on Sunday, the local emergency management authority said.

The civilians were “mistakenly killed” by a military drone “targeting terrorists and bandits”, according to state Governor Uba Sani, who did not give a death toll.

The defence ministry termed the operation as “needless tragedy”.

Dozens were wounded during the attack.

A state official, Samuel Aruwa, said an army officer “Maj VU Okoro, explained that the Nigerian army was on a routine mission against terrorists but inadvertently affected members of the community”.

Defence spokesman Maj Gen Edward Buba in a statement on Tuesday said the airstrike was based on credible intelligence about the presence of “terrorists” in the area.

Governor Sani has ordered an investigation into the “tragic incident” that happened when villagers from Tundun Biri gathered for a religious festival on Sunday evening.