By Olusegun Olanrewaju (Lagos) and Linus Aleke (Abuja)
The costly airstrike by the Nigerian Army on hapless villagers in Tudun Biri in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State is generating negative reactions from a cross-section of Nigerians.
The Nigerian military mistakenly on Sunday bombed a religious gathering and killed several civilians whose ultimate population is yet to be determined.
According to residents, the bomb exploded during a gathering to commemorate Maulud in a village.
There have been claims and counter-claims about the responsibility for the wrong hit that has drawn varying takebacks by the state government, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), and the Nigerian Army.
In a swift reaction earlier yesterday, the NAF denied carrying out any operation in Kaduna but added that it was “not the only organisation operating combat armed drones” in the region.
However, the Kaduna State Government revealed that the Nigerian Army had taken responsibility for the erroneous bombing.
Authorities of the Nigerian Army had yet to officially said anything as of the time of filing this report, but the Kaduna State Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said the General Officer Commanding 1 Division Nigerian Army and Force Commander Operation Whirl Punch, Maj Gen VU Okoro, admitted that the Army was on a routine mission against terrorists when the incident happened
He spoke after the state’s Security Council meeting yesterday.
Aruwan said that during the meeting the state government received briefings on the attack.
The heads of security agencies, Islamic clerics, and traditional rulers were at the meeting presided over by the deputy governor, Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe.
Aruwan said, “The Kaduna state government has received briefings on Sunday night’s attack, which left several citizens dead and others injured.
“The General Officer Commanding One Division Nigerian Army, Major General VU Okoro, explained that the Nigerian Army was on a routine mission against terrorists but inadvertently affected members of the community.
“The deputy governor at the end of the closed-door meeting, conveyed the condolences of the Government and People of Kaduna State to the families that lost their loved ones and prayed for the repose of the victims’ souls.
“As of the time of this update, search-and-rescue efforts are still ongoing, as dozens of injured victims have been evacuated to Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital by the government.”
No fewer than 30 people were confirmed dead immediately after the incident, a survivor spoke.
The Army was quoted to have said that the bombing was not deliberate, but darted against rampaging terrorists. It was claimed that troops used drones to target rebels, which instead killed some civilians.
KDSG orders immediate investigation on Tudun Biri village incident
*NAF denies involvement
The high command of NAF denied trending allegations that its aircraft on operation accidentally killed innocent civilians in Kaduna State, stressing that the piece of information is false.
Director of Public Relations and Information, NAF, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, who dismissed the trending report in a statement, said the NAF had not carried out any air operations within Kaduna State and environs “in the last 24 hours”.
He, therefore, tasked the media to always do due diligence before going to town with sensitive and security information.
The statement read, “The news making the rounds alleging that Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft accidentally killed innocent civilians in Kaduna is false. Please be informed that the NAF has not carried out any air operations within Kaduna State and its environs in the last 24 hours.
“Also, note that the NAF is not the only organization operating combat armed drones in the North-western region of Nigeria.”
Gabkwet added, “It is also important to ensure that due diligence is always exhausted by the media before going to press with unverified and unconfirmed reports.”
*Conflicting figures over death toll amid counterclaims of responsibility
There were, however, conflicting figures regarding the number of casualties. While it was reported that no fewer than 30 people were killed on the spot, a global human rights watchdog group, Amnesty International, said some 120 people were killed in the attack.
Citing reports of its workers and volunteers in the area, the Nigeria office was quoted as saying, “Many of them (the dead) were children (and) more dead bodies are being discovered.”
Also, the organisation’s director in Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, told the independent international news agency, Associated Press, that no fewer than 50 bodies were recovered after the misfired bomb claimed unprepared lives.
A resident of the trouble spot in Igabi said, “They said they mistakenly threw a bomb on them.”
*Kaduna orders thorough investigation into accidental bombing
The Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, has described as shocking the Army bombing of Tudun Biri villagers.
The governor said he had ordered a thorough investigation into the bombing to forestall future occurrences.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mohammed Lawal-Shehu, the Governor was quoted to have said, “I have ordered immediate investigations into the tragic incident. We are determined to prevent a repeat of this tragedy and reassure our people that their protection will be prioritised in the sustained fight against terrorists, bandits, and other criminal elements.
“I have also directed the immediate evacuation of the injured to the Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital for emergency medical attention. The government will be responsible for their treatment and related logistics.”
Sani appealed for calm in the affected communities, adding, that “search and rescue operations in the area are ongoing. The state government has dispatched top government officials to the area to assess the situation, reach out to the families of the victims, and advise the government on the immediate actions and measures to be taken to lessen the pains of the families of the victims.”
On behalf of the people of Kaduna State, the governor extended condolences to the victims” families.
“The Kaduna State Government regrets the loss of lives and remains committed to ensuring that residents continue to live and conduct their legitimate businesses without fear,” he said.
*’It’s one mistake too many by the Nigerian military’
Meanwhile, the latest incident has caused outrage among citizens, who are reminding many of the rampant allegations of human rights abuses by the Nigerian military that have raised concerns from Western allies such as the United States.
A resident of Kaduna, Kazeem Ali, said, “It is one of those misplaced bombings that have gone haywire. Though extremist and rebel attacks have for long ravaged parts of Nigeria’s northwest and central regions, the country’s armed forces have frequently mis-targeted the hideouts of armed groups with aerial bombardment, but have sometimes mis-bombed villagers.”
The social media was abuzz yesterday with heart-rending comments such as those from Dr Barry Avotu Johnson 1st, who penned @ Avotujohnson1st, “This is no news because they have been doing this for over nine years now.
“When Buhari was President that was how a lot of families were wasted in the name of military routine. When the routine of heaven starts, none of them and their children shall escape from the endings.”
Another X (Twitter) user, @UgwuezeChijioke, “So what next now”. To which @i_jandor followed “Kai! What kind of useless mistake is this…)
Yet another, @ArabsAbubakarHaaa said, “So, what happens now that they claim responsibility??”
Another notable commentary came from @Kosinko1, who asked, “What will be the consequences for this gross and clueless misconduct that took hundreds of lives..?”
