COAS Visits Tudun Biri Village Over Civilians Bombing In Kaduna
Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, on Tuesday, paid a condolence visit to Tudun Biri community in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State where over 85 persons were killed in armed drones attack by men of the Nigerian Army.
Photographs made available by the Nigerian Army few minutes ago indicated that the chief of army staff also visited the graveyard where the deceased victims were buried.
Director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Oyema Nwachukwu, who made the army news release available said that lieutenant general Lagbaja stated that the troops were carrying out aerial patrols when they observed a group of people wrongly analyzed and misinterpreted to be bandits, before the drone strike.
Accordingly, the army chief expressed regrets and apologised on behalf of the Nigerian Army to the people of the community.
The army news release read: “The Army Chief arrived the community in the early hours of Tuesday, December 5, 2023, accompanied by Principal Staff Officers from the Army Headquarters and the General Officer Commanding, 1 Division, where he met with the Dangaladima Zazau, the District Head of Rigasa, Architect Aminu Idris, other leaders and members of the community.
“The COAS in an emotion laden speech expressed regrets on the unfortunate mishap, describing it as a very disheartening occurrence. General Lagbaja noted that in the recent past, the general area of Tudun Biri and adjoining villages were infested with armed bandits, who terrorised the communities, until troops of the Nigerian Army started conducting operations to sanitize the area and make it habitable.
“He pointed out, that the troops were carrying out aerial patrols when they observed a group of people and wrongly analyzed and misinterpreted their pattern of activities to be similar to that of the bandits, before the drone strike.
“The COAS stated that he was in Tudun Biri to personally witness the site of the mishap and to convey sincere regrets and unreserved apologies on behalf of the Nigerian Army to the District Head and people of the community, as well as the government and entire people of Kaduna State.
“He disclosed that he has ordered a thorough inquiry into the incident to ascertain and identify areas of deficiency that led to the inadvertent disaster, adding that the findings and overarching outcome of the investigation will guide the Nigerian Army in meticulously and professionally seeking and applying lasting solutions to identified lapses and deficiencies in both the human and Artificial Intelligence variables that will forestall future recurrence.
“The Chief of Army Staff equally visited affected victims at the Barua Dikko Teaching Hospital Anguwan Rimi, Kaduna, where he expressed concern for the speedy recuperation of the hospitalized persons and made an immediate donation of several provisions for their upkeep.”
The statement further read that the District Head of Rigasa, Aminu Idris, said despite the enormity of the incident, the Nigerian Army showed integrity in accepting responsibility for the drone strike and urged its leadership to intervene in bringing succour to hospitalized victims and the community for their losses.
Meanwhile, former Kaduna Central Senator, Shehu Sani, has condemned the accidental bombing of villagers in Tudun Biri in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, saying that it makes no sense to massacre the people who are supposed to be under the protection of the military.
Sani made this known in a tweet shared on his verified X handle on Tuesday.
Senator Shehu Sani said the sanctity of human lives must be of the highest consideration in any military operation.
He said: “Dropping bombs in a crowd of people in the center of a village is a horrible and costly ‘mistake’ that must not be taken lightly.
“It makes no sense to massacre the people you want to protect.
“The orphans, widows, and widowers left behind by the Army bombing of the Kaduna village must not be left to suffer in the course of their lives. This tragic incident must not repeat itself.”
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