- As NAF exonerates its personnel
The Nigerian Army has claimed responsibility for the bombing of villagers during a Maulud Nabiy celebration at Tudun Biriin in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
However, the Army claimed the airstrikes were inadvertent, saying its personnel were targeting terrorists in the operations that went awry.
About 30 residents were feared dead in the airstrikes on Sunday night with Samuel Aruwan, Overseeing Commissioner, Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Kaduna State, confirming in a statement on Monday that the Army has claimed responsibility for the unfortunate incident.
Aruwan’s statement said; “The Kaduna State Government has received briefings on Sunday night’s attack which left several citizens dead and others injured. In a meeting presided over by the Deputy Governor, Dr Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe, which had in attendance heads of security agencies, religious and traditional leaders, the Nigerian Army explained the circumstances which led to the unfortunate and unintended attack.
“The General Officer Commanding One Division Nigerian Army, Major VU Okoro explained that the Nigerian Army was on a routine mission against terrorists but inadvertently affected members of the community.”
The statement further stated that the Deputy Governor at the end of the closed-door meeting conveyed condolences of the government and people of Kaduna State to the families that lost their loved ones.
The statement also stated thus; “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.
“Heads of security agencies who attended the meeting include the Commissioner of Police, M. Y. Garba, and Director of the Department of State Services (DSS) Abdul Eneche. The Chairman of the Kaduna State Chapter of Jam’atu Nasril Islam (JNI) Professor Shafi’u Abdullahi, led other religious leaders. Also present at the meeting was the District Head of Rigasa, Alhaji Aminu Idris in whose domain the incident occurred.”
Recalled that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) had denied complicity in the airstrikes on Tudun Biriin Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State that reportedly killed about 30 residents during a Maulud Nabiy celebration in the community Sunday night.
Samuel Aruwan, Overseeing Commissioner of the State Ministry of Internal Security and Home Affairs in the state, had promised that the government would address the media on the incident in a press conference at the Government House on Monday.
Following up on their denial, NAF in a statement on Monday said it had not conducted any air operations within Kaduna in the last 24 hours, stating that; “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 Northwestern region of Nigeria,” NAF said in the statement signed by Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, Director of Public Relations and Information.
“It is also important to ensure that due diligence is always exhausted by the media before going to press with unverified and unconfirmed reports,” the statement added.
