How did the Nigerian military miss all the criminal and terrorists hideouts including those that brazenly collect taxes from citizens across states in northern Nigeria to bomb hapless Nigerians in their homes? The villagers even allege that the bombing occurred twice.
In September, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said it has launched an investigation into a viral video clip of some soldiers chatting with bandits in Katsina State. The Director of Defence Information, Tukur Gusau, said the investigation intended to determine the video’s veracity.
Gusau in a statement said the military’s high command knew certain bandits’ intention to turn around and surrender their guns to the authorities. The statement disclosed that the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Christopher Musa, assures Nigerians that the military would engage through every lawful means to ensure peace returns to Nigeria.
“The DHQ assures Nigerians that its non-kinetic measures aimed at restoration of peace are yielding results, with several bandits and other criminal elements surrendering to authority. Governments at all levels are encouraged to allow bandits genuinely willing to surrender to do so while the window is still open.,” the statement read.
Reports emerged that on Sunday, September 17, the militants were seen holding peace talks with locals in the Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina state. The video generated a lot of outrage on social media, with many wondering why soldiers should chat with bandits that have held the region down for years.
Meanwhile, death toll continues to rise as survivors of the accidental bombing of Tudun Biri in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State on Tuesday said they were bombed twice by the Nigerian Army.
It was also gathered that the death toll from the incident had increased to 120 as officials of Amnesty International who visited the affected communities confirmed the increase in the death toll.
Nigeria Army said the air strike intended to flush out terrorists had on Sunday night accidentally hit civilians during a religious celebration at Tudun Biri.
While the Army claimed responsibility for the incident, the National Emergency Management Agency had on Monday night put the casualty figure at 85, adding that 66 victims sustained injuries.
But the accidental bombing on Tuesday attracted more condemnations from the pan-Northern political and cultural association, the Arewa Consultative Forum, and the Jama’tu Nasril Islam, saying that those found culpable should be punished.
On their part, President Bola Tinubu, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar mourned the victims of the bombing. But as the nation mourned the dead, survivors of the bombing recounted their experiences.
Forty-five-year-old Saudatu Alamagani, in an interview with The PUNCH, said the community was bombed twice.
Alamagani, who narrowly escaped being killed in the attack, said the incident started like a Nollywood movie around 10pm when a large number of Muslims celebrating Maulud, the birthday of Muhammad, were bombed.
She said while celebrating the Maulud, “The military started raining bombs on us’’, adding that at first, the worshippers mistook their attackers to be bandits.
She stated that while everybody scampered for safety, dead bodies littered “everywhere.”
She stated that while members of the community went in search of motorcycle operators to convey the critically injured to the nearest medical facilities for treatment, the military bombed the community again.
“They bombed us twice,” she said, adding that “it all started around 10pm when the military started bombing our community. We were celebrating the Maulud, the birthday of Prophet Muhammad.
“While we were looking for motorcycles to convey those that critically needed medical attention to the hospital, the military returned with the bombardment. Many villagers including women, men, children, and even pregnant women were killed during the attack.
“Four members of my family were killed in the attack. Some of the bodies of the dead littered the ground.”
Saudatu appealed to the government to assist members of the community, especially victims’ families to cushion the effect of the bomb attack.
Another survivor, 60-year-old Sulaiman Umar, told our correspondents that the village was bombed twice.
He stated, “I was eating that night when we were bombed. Many people died. We could hardly identify our children; some with their intestines out. They bombed us twice. After the first round of bombs, they came back to bomb us again.
“I ran into a deep forest where I slept till daybreak. We covered the dead with leaves. We separated the males from the females and covered them with leaves.”
120 dead
Giving an update on the tragic incident, The Country Director of Amnesty International, Isah Sanusi, said officials of the organisation were on the ground at the affected communities and counted over 120 persons who died in the bombing.
He said, “I can confirm to you that the current number of casualties in the affected areas is more than 120 persons.”
He explained that there were at least 77 bodies buried in each of the mass graves, insisting that the casualty figure was higher than what NEMA stated.
“According to our contact who was at the scene of the mass burial, there were at least 77 dead bodies in each of the mass graves. There also 17 other persons who are from adjoining villages who lost their lives in the ugly incident,” he stated.
But the NEMA Chief Information Officer, Kaduna State, Halima Suleman, told one of our correspondents that the casualty figure of 85 persons released on Monday by the agency had not been updated when contacted on Tuesday.
She, however, stated that NEMA was intervening in the affected communities, as it took some of the injured persons to hospitals and was providing relief items to others.
“We are, of course, intervening in the communities, because our officials are on the ground there today. They took some persons to hospitals, provided relief items and gave moral support,” she stated.
But the pan-Northern socio-political organisation, ACF, and the Sultan Sa’ad Abubakar lll led Jama’atu Nasril Islam, called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the military bombing.
Reacting separately to the incident, the ACF described it as “horrific”, noting that the northern organisation was highly disturbed that such an operation could be contemplated and executed in the densely populated area, “suggesting an inexcusable, scandalous and plausibly incompetent failure of intelligence.”
In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Tukur Muhammed-Baba, on Tuesday, the forum commiserated with the state government and families of victims, praying that “God grant the dead peace.”
The forum noted that efforts must be put in place to avert such “avoidable” loss of lives and property in the future, adding that communities in the Northern states had had enough problems with banditry and should not in any way be further inflicted with more pains.
Consequently, the ACF demanded an apology from the Nigerian Army as well as a full, thorough, honest, and open investigation of the incident, to establish what exactly happened.
According to the ACF, any and all those found guilty of professional or operational incompetence must be severely disciplined, and transparently so.
It also noted that the investigation must be undertaken with the full participation of the people of the affected community (who must not be intimidated into keeping quiet about the gory details of their losses).
“For emphasis, the Kaduna State Government has a duty to act to protect the interest of the victims and not the Nigerian Army personnel that perpetrated the incident.
“Full compensation must be paid for the dead in accordance with current Islamic diya value for individual lives.
“The injured must not only be fully treated free of charge but must also be rehabilitated on full recovery, as well as fully compensated for losses of livelihoods and incomes while on the road to full recovery,” the statement added.
On its part, the JNI in a statement by its Secretary-General, Prof. Khalid Abubakar-Aliyu, reiterated the organisation’s commitment to seeking justice for the victims’ families.
The statement partly read, “The Jama’atu Nasril Islam, representing the collective voice of the Ummah, stands in profound consternation and grief over the tragic incident that unfolded at Tudun-Biri village in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, during a Maulud celebration, as was reported.
“It is thus with heavy hearts that we express our deepest condolences and sympathies to the families, as well as the loved ones of the deceased victims, and we fervently pray for the swift recovery and healing of those injured.
“JNI therefore vehemently condemns this tragic incident in its entirety and calls for a thorough, impartial, and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the devastating and most unfortunate event. We urge authorities to ensure that those responsible are held accountable in accordance with the subsisting laws.”
DHQ panel
Meanwhile, the military high command at the Defense Headquarters, on Tuesday, said it would be investigating the accidental bombing and would establish a panel for this.
Responding to an inquiry from one of our correspondents, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Edward Buba said the military would probe the incident.
He said a panel would be instituted to look into the matter, adding that the details would be communicated.
Buba said, “Yes, the military will probe the incident. When the panel is set up, the details will be communicated accordingly, please.”
Also speaking on the issue, the Director of the Army Public Relations, Brig. Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu stated that with the on-the-spot assessment done by the Chief of Army Staff, he would be able to assemble the right persons to make up the panel.
He said, “From what the COAS has done now, which was to visit the scene of the incident, he would be able to gain insight into the expertise that would be required to carry out the inquiry. This will help in guiding us on the kind of persons that will be in that panel. I can’t speak on how long the investigation will take.”
Timeline of accidental bombing by Nigerian military
Over the years, Nigeria has recorded several accidental strikes by the Nigerian Air Force, killing innocent citizens across the country.
The PUNCH investigations revealed that over 425 persons including children and women had been killed by military accidental bombings between September 2017 and 2023.
A report titled “Air Force Mishaps” by a research organisation that compiles and analyses data about happenings in the country (SBM Intelligence) in February 2023, revealed that over 300 civilians have been killed in accidental airstrikes by the NAF since 2017.
SBM said the airstrikes happened while the NAF was in pursuit of terrorists.
The report lamented that mishaps had increased in the last two years, adding that no compensation had been paid to victims’ families.
According to SBM Intelligence, the mistakes have increased in the last two years with little acknowledgment from the NAF.
It added that Niger, Yobe, Zamfara, Borno, Nasarawa, Kaduna, and Katsina are the worst-hit states in the country.
In this report, PUNCH Online highlights cases of NAF accidental strikes.
1. Kaduna village bombing mishap
Recent of all is the Kaduna village bombing mishap where 85 villagers in Tudun Biri of the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State are feared dead after a bomb was allegedly dropped by a military jet on Sunday.
Residents of the affected communities said they were celebrating Maulud, an Islamic event when the bombs were dropped by the military.
This development has, however, triggered both local and international condemnation.
Following the incident a mass burial was conducted for the victims while the Army claimed responsibility for dropping the bomb on the village.
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has, however, apologised to the relatives of victims of the accidental bombing.
Lagbaja also ordered an investigation into the incident, noting the probe would allow the service to avert such situations in the future.
2. Nasarawa-Benue, Niger border accidental airstrike
In January 2023, The PUNCH reports that 37 people including 27 pastoralists were killed after the bomb exploded at the border linking Benue and Nasarawa states at the Doma local government area of Nasarawa State.
3. Niger State bombing mishap
In April 2022, a NAF fighter jet reportedly killed six children, when it fired a bomb targeted at terrorists in Kurebe village in Shiroro LGA of Niger State.
4. Katsina bomb blast
Also in June 2022, 13 residents were injured while one other died after a NAF fighter jet struck Kunkuna village in the Safana LGA of Katsina on July 7, 2022, among others.
5. Borno 2017 and 2020 bomb attacks
On January 17, 2017, about 52 people were killed while 120 others sustained injuries in an accidental airstrike on an Internally Displaced Persons camp in Rann, Borno State.
Also, on April 13, 2020, 17 people, including children, were killed after a NAF fighter jet bombed Sakotoku village in Damboa LGA of the State.
The PUNCH
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