Against the backdrop of the accidental bombing of civilians in the Tudun Biri community, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State by unmanned drones of the Nigerian Army, last Sunday, the Defence Headquarters has said it would no longer bomb any target unless it was 100 percent sure.
‘Henceforth, we will be 100 percent sure of our target before we carry out bombings,’ Director of Defence Media Operations, Major Gen Edward Buba, assured, yesterday, as he revealed the casualty figure of the aerial bombardment.
According to him, 81 persons were killed and 70 were injured.
‘We, as the Armed Forces of Nigeria, will continue to conduct our operations consistent with the rules of engagement, which we have always done and our operations will always be joint.
‘Regarding the incident that happened in Kaduna, the military always learns from its operations and continues to build from it. The military will deal with it squarely. We will ensure that we have zero occurrences in the future.’
On allegations in certain quarters, including an Arewa group that the bombing was aimed at reducing the population of the North, Gen Buba faulted such thinking, saying: ‘The armed forces of Nigeria is a professional force. We have members from every tribe, ethnic group from all parts of this country. Whatever that group is saying, it is faulty, it is in error and unpatriotic.
‘We should realise that it is not just the military that is at war, all the country is at war. We are in it together. The country is taking part in the war. We will make sure that going forward, we get more training, more understanding of the processes and protocols involved to make sure that next time, we are 100 per cent sure before we carry out bombings.
‘For now, we will continue to urge communities to pass information to us. If you see something, know something, give us information, and timely, too.’
To avert a recurrence of the error, the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has called for the armed forces to be equipped with more accurate surveillance technology and intelligent devices.
CAN President, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, in a statement, yesterday, expressed condolences to the victims and the Kaduna State Government, acknowledging the challenging circumstances under which the Nigerian Armed Forces have been combating terrorism within the nation.
He said: ‘The unfortunate event underlines the urgent need for our Armed Forces to prioritise the safety of civilians, especially when intelligence reports are not definitive.
‘Enhanced surveillance technology and intelligent devices can help differentiate between terrorist threats and innocent civilians, thereby minimizing collateral damage.’
The CAN appealed to all interest groups, both political and religious, to refrain from capitalizing on the tragic incident for personal gain.
‘The focus should remain on supporting the affected communities and working together to prevent future occurrences,’ Okoh added.
Expressing support for the Federal Government in its ongoing war against terrorism and insurgency, CAN urged the government to prioritise the safety of its people and take necessary actions to curb terrorism nationwide.
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, on its part, condemned the accidental bombing, which it described as unfortunate.
Ohanaeze in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Alex Ogbonnia, urged President Tinubu, to launch an investigation into the incident, saying: “It is indeed a paradox that at a time Nigerians are facing various challenges and losses of lives in the hands of bandits, kidnappers, Boko-Haram insurgents among others, an air mishap by the Nigerian Army will claim about 85 lives.”
It said that its President General, Dr. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, expressed deep sorrow over the avoidable catastrophe and urged President Tinubu “to conduct a thorough investigation on the bomb mishap and those found to be negligent should face the full weight of the Law.”
Also speaking on the disaster, the United States government through the Bureau of Arms Control, Deterrence, and Stability, said the deployment of Artificial Intelligence would help the Nigerian armed forces to reduce the incidents of accidental bombings in its war against terrorism and other security threats to the barest minimum.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu, yesterday, vowed that whoever was found wanting in the error drone bombing that killed about 100 people at Tudun Biri village of Kaduna State would be punished accordingly.
Represented by the Vice President Kashim Shattima, Tinubu spoke, made this known on Thursday, after visiting the victims at Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital Kaduna.