VAM News Update
There was widespread anger across the country on Monday, following the accidental bombing of Tudun Biri in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State by the Nigerian Army on Sunday, leading to the death of several villagers.
It was gathered that residents were celebrating Maulud, an Islamic event when the bombs were dropped by the military, who mistook the villagers for terrorists.
The development had triggered widespread condemnation from both local and international communities.
A statement by the Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, confirmed that the army claimed responsibility for the airstrike.
Although the National Emergency Management Agency in a statement on its official Facebook page on Monday night said that the death toll had risen to 85, Senator Shehu Sani, who was first to raise the alarm about the incident, stated that the airstrike killed about 150 persons.
In a post on his official X handle, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain described the unfortunate incident as a tragic,horrific and condemnable act.
He wrote, “A call to the Kaduna village where bombs were dropped on religious worshippers reported that over 150 people were killed.
“A tragic, horrific and condemnable act.These bombs should be dropped on terrorists and not civilians”.
Also, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Femi Fani-Kayode on Monday night, took to his X handle to demand justice for the victims.
He wrote, “150 innocent civilians, including women & children, bombed to death by their own Army in Kaduna today.
“This is horrendous. It is mass murder & genocide & those behind it must be brought to justice.”
Also reacting, Bashir Ahmed, former media aide to the immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari questioned how the army would “kill 126 innocent souls” by mistake.
On his X account, Bashir wrote, “Haba! You can’t kill 126 innocent souls— a hundred and twenty-six civilians, and just call it a mistake. I can’t even remember a time when the troops killed such a number of terrorists anywhere in this country at once.
“@HQNigerianArmy Nigerians are waiting to hear from you how this ‘mistake’ will be corrected and what measures you’d put in place to prevent a recurrence”.
Similarly, in a chat with our correspondent on Monday night, a security expert, Mr Akogwu John said it was shocking that the Nigerian Army would launch an attack without proper surveys.
He said, “To me, there should be more to that story because I don’t understand how trained security operatives will go to a state where human beings occupy and just drop a bomb.
“The most annoying part is that they were not ready to own up. If not for the Kaduna Government that exposed them, they had already denied it. People you are meant to protect, you kill them because of negligence.
“Did they do a proper survey before dropping the bomb? What exactly made them think these innocent villagers are terrorists? This story is not clear yet.
“Don’t tell me that they don’t know where these terrorists are camping. They know and even if they claim that they don’t know, it is a failure on their part because they have the funds to do all that. Human lives no longer matter to some people.
“The best thing to do now is for the army to release the identity of those who carried out the operation. They should be thoroughly questioned and I bet you, something fishy may be involved.”