Army Chief Says Fatal Bombing Of Kaduna Village Unintentional, Assures Future Caution

By Ayodele Oni

Grieving Tudun Biri Community in Kaduna State  continued to receive consoling messages and visits.

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt Gen Taoreed Lagbaja, has just paid a condolence visit to the  community in  Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The villagers who had gathered to observe a religious rite, were hit by a devastating bomb which was inadvertently dropped on them by an Army fighter jet which mistook them as terrorists.

According to reports, over 80 people were killed while about 50 were injured.

The Army Chief arrived the community in the early hours of Tuesday, accompanied by Principal Staff Officers from the Army Headquarters and the General Officer Commanding 1 Division. They met with the Dangaladima Zazau, the District Head of Rigasa, Architect Aminu Idris, other leaders and members of the Community.

Army Spokesman, Brigadier- General Onyema Nwachukwu, in a statement, stated that 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 terrorized 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 aeriel 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.

The Army Chief added 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.

General Lagbaja also commiserated with the Chairman Jamaa’ atu Nasru Islam, Kaduna State Prof Shafiu Abdullahi and other clerics.

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 District Head of Rigasa, Architect Aminu Idris, in his remarks 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.

The District Head maintained that the Community is a mixed Community of both Muslims and Christians and that the victims are of both faith, contrary to earlier insinuation that the Community is solely Muslim.