Outrage as warplane kills 85 in Kaduna village bombing

There was widespread outrage on Monday over the accidental bombing of Tudun Biri in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State by the Nigerian Army on Sunday, which left no fewer than 85 villagers dead.

Residents of the affected communities said they were celebrating Maulud, an Islamic event when the bombs were dropped by the military, a development that triggered both local and international condemnation.

The Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Hadiza Balarabe, had to visit Islamic clerics in the state to douse tension, as the Governor of the state, Senator Uba Sani, ordered a thorough investigation into the bombing to forestall future occurrences.

As the state government moved to douse tension, the Christian Association of Nigeria, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International, among others, condemned the recurrent erroneous bombings by the military.

This came as findings by The PUNCH showed that no fewer than 425 persons including children and women had been killed by military accidental bombings between September 2017 and 2023.

Kaduna govt speaks

The state government said the Nigerian Army claimed responsibility for dropping the bomb on Tudun Biri that killed scores of villagers during a Maulud celebration.

No fewer than 85 residents were killed in the incident which took place on Sunday night at about 9pm.

The Overseeing Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said the General Officer Commanding 1 Division, Nigerian Army, and Force Commander Operation Whirl Punch, Maj-Gen VU Okoro, admitted that the Nigerian Army was on a routine mission against terrorists when the incident happened.

This was contained in a statement released by the commissioner to journalists shortly after the Deputy Governor, Hadiza Balarabe, met with Islamic clerics, traditional rulers, heads of security agencies, where “the Nigerian Army explained the circumstances which led to the unfortunate and unintended attack.”

The meeting was held at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House, Kaduna on Monday.

The commissioner said, “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.”

He added that search-and-rescue efforts were still ongoing, as dozens of injured victims during the incident had been evacuated to Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital by the state government.

He also quoted the deputy governor as having commiserated with the victims’ families, while praying for the repose of the victims’ souls.

The statement stated that among the heads of security agencies who attended the meeting include the Commissioner of Police, MY Garba; and Director of the Department of State Services, Abdul Eneche; Chairman of the Kaduna State Chapter of Jam’atu Nasril Islam, Prof. Shafi’u Abdullahi, who led other religious leaders as well as the District Head of Rigasa, Alhaji Aminu Idris, in whose domain the incident occurred.

The Nigerian Air Force, on Monday, denied that it bombed the Kaduna village.

The NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, said the service had not conducted any operation in the state and its environs in the last 24 hours.

He added that the Air Force was not the only organisation using armed drones in the North-West.

The statement read, “The news making the rounds alleging that Nigerian Air Force 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 organisation operating combat-armed drones in the Northwestern region of Nigeria. It is also important to ensure that due diligence is always exhausted by the media before going to press with unverified and unconfirmed reports.”

As the Nigeria Air Force distanced itself from the bombing, a resident in one of the affected communities told one of our correspondents that Tudun Biri village was bombed by a flying object and killed locals who were attending a religious ceremony on Sunday night.

“Nigerian authorities should carry out a thorough investigation into the incident and compensate the families of the victims because this is not the first time it is happening.”

Isah also called on the government and other partners who train the military to ensure they undergo sound training to avoid further occurrence in the future.

On her part, a Nigerian Researcher at the Human Rights Watch, Anietie Ewang, described the recurring erroneous strikes as “a worrying situation”, adding that the HRW was also concerned as to whether the military took civilian casualty assessment into consideration before its operations.

“I think we are seeing a worrying situation. Obviously, we can’t comment on the specifics of the case until we go into the field to document what has happened and we hear from people on the ground. But apart from that, like more generally, we are very concerned with the news.

“We are concerned with this trend of erroneous airstrikes. We are concerned with whether or not the military is taking into consideration all that is required in terms of civilian casualty assessment, and really investigating its operations to ensure that it complies with international human law, and international humanitarian law standards.”

The National Coordinator of the Human Rights Writers Association, Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement earlier on Monday, described the casualty as “one accidental bombing too many”, while challenging the government of President Tinubu to carry out “an all out investigation with a view to finding lasting solutions to these many accidental bombings of civilians.”

A former aide to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Bashir Ahmad, via his X handle lamented, as he said, “Haba! You can’t kill 126 innocent souls, and 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.”

 A former lawmaker, Patrick Obahiagbon, said via his X handle. “This is profoundly calamitous and lugubrious. I extend my ardent condolences to the grieving families who have lost their cherished

kin. I also convey fervent wishes for the expeditious instauration and recuperation of the injured. Amen.”

One Dr TAMS@Dr Tambari, via his X handle, said, “Although mistakes are not completely inevitable in the operations of the military, it is saddening that a costly mistake such as this would be made. The military ought to up their game to forestall further occurrences.”

 A former federal lawmaker, Shehu Sani, via his X handle said, “These bombs should be dropped on terrorists and not civilians.”

One Ifeanyichukwu, @iffeanyichukwu, noted via his X handle, that “the army chief should resign. He is no more Nigerian than the Nigerians that lost their lives in that ugly incident.”

Another Nigerian, Abdul Mohammed, @AbdulRasheedDM1, via his X handle, said, “The so-called ‘unintended attacks’ happened several times in Maiduguri, one of which an IDP camp was attacked and a Zamfara community as well. When a mistake persists, then it is

no longer a mistake, it is carelessness and lack of professionalism.”

Another X user, Ibnjariyr, @ibnjariyr, said, “Sincere investigation should be done. We are not Cows.”