Kaduna Village Bombing Not Deliberate, CDS Insists

The Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Christopher Musa, has said that the military was working to ensure that accidental bombings by any of its arms did not recur in the country.
This is as Northern lawyers have threatened to take legal action against the Federal Government’s failure to compensate victims of the accidental bombing at Tudun Biri in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The military has recorded more than 12 cases of mishit leading to the death of over 400 civilians in the last seven years.
The recent being the drone strike last week at Tudun Biri village in Kaduna State which was said to have killed over 100 civilians.
Speaking with newsmen at the fourth edition of the Chief of Defence Staff Armed Forces and Security Agencies Half Marathon Championship 2023 in Abuja, Musa described the Kaduna incident as regrettable, adding that the nation and the armed forces were mourning those who had died during the incident.
He said, “We pray for the repose of those that have died and those that are injured.
“We will make sure that they are provided for and the Federal Government and everyone is putting hands on the deck to ensure that we take care of the community, take care of those that have been injured and to also ensure that this doesn’t happen again.
“I want to thank all the Nigerians for understanding with members of the armed forces and other security agencies. It was not deliberate; it was something that should not have been.”
He added, “We are going to move forward and we are using this competition to appreciate Nigerians for all their support and love for members of the armed forces and to assure them that we will continue to work very hard.
“We want to restore peace and tranquility in Nigeria and God willing, all of us together will achieve that.”
Meanwhile, Northern lawyers have threatened to take legal action against the Federal Government’s failure to compensate victims of the accidental bombing at Tudun Biri in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The Kaduna State Government said the Nigerian Army claimed responsibility for dropping a bomb on Tudun Biri which left no fewer than 100 villagers dead penultimate Sunday.
This was just as Northern Senators donated N58 million to the victims of the military airstrike.
The Senators, under the aegis of the Northern Senators Forum, donated when they paid a sympathy visit to the Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, in the state capital over the tragic incident.
According to the governor, the senators led by Senator Abdul Ningi, also joined the call for a thorough investigation into the unfortunate incident to punish those culpable for the action.
Sani disclosed these on his verified X handle (formerly Twitter) on Saturday shortly after the visit.
He tweeted, “I had the honour and privilege of receiving senators of the Federal Republic under the auspices of Northern Senators Forum, who were in Kaduna to condole with the government and people of Kaduna State over the unfortunate Tudun Biri military drone attack.
They donated the sum of N58m to the families of the victims of the unfortunate incident.”
The governor also urged the lawmakers to take a critical look into the nation’s laws and update them to strengthen Nigeria’s security agencies.
“It is by strengthening our laws and the security architecture that we can avert future tragic occurrences.
“I thanked them for their show of solidarity and support to our people at this crucial moment”, he said.
Meanwhile, Nafi’u Abubakar, while speaking for the Northern Lawyers Forum, noted that the forum would ensure that the families that suffered loss as a result of the incident get justice.
Nafi’u, while addressing journalists in Kaduna on Saturday, urged the Federal Government to thoroughly investigate the incident.
He said, “It is imperative that those responsible are held accountable for their actions, and measures are put in place to prevent any recurrence of such incidents in the future.
“We also urge the Nigerian Army to re-evaluate its rules of engagement and training procedures to prevent the loss of innocent lives during military operations. It is vital that the Nigerian Army, as a defender of the nation, exercises utmost caution to avoid any further instances of collateral damage and civilian casualties.”
According to him, the forum with over 600 members extends their deepest condolences to the families who lost their loved ones during the tragic incident.
“We stand united with them in their grief and pledge our unwavering support in ensuring justice is served.
“The Concerned Northern Lawyers Forum will work tirelessly to pursue legal means to claim the compensation that is owed to the victims,” he added.