The ACF called for a thorough investigation into the bombing incident as well as compensation for the victims.
The Jamatul Nasril Islam (JNI) has expressed sadness over the army airstrike at Tudun Biri village in the Igabi Local Government Area that claimed the lives of over 85 people and left 66 others injured.
The airstrike intended to flush out terrorists had on Sunday night accidentally hit civilians during their Maulud celebration.
With growing condemnation from various quarters, Amnesty International who visited the scene confirmed there could be more who lost their lives in the incident.
JNI in a statement on Wednesday by its Secretary General, Professor Khalid Aliyu, expressed disbelief that the military would kill innocent civilians in such a manner, without due diligence before carrying out such operations in line with Standard Operating Procedures of the military.
The body described the bombing of the Muslim faithful by the supposed aerial patrol, resulting in the reported loss of no fewer than 100 innocent lives as a reprehensible and deeply condemnable act.
Furthermore, JNI said such a callous and devastating incident is utterly antithetical to the principles of peace and unity that they, as a community, strive to uphold at this critical moment of the Nigerian nationhood, noting that the error bombing portends danger, especially to the military-civil relationship.
On its part, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) called for a thorough investigation into the bombing incident as well as compensation for the victims.
A statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Professor T.A Muhammad, questioned the Nigerian Army’s reason for remaining mute about casualty figures, even if tentative
The statement also said that ACF is perplexed and deeply disturbed that such an operation could be contemplated and executed in a densely populated area, thereby suggesting an inexcusable, scandalous and plausibly incompetent failure of intelligence.
“It is indeed trite to say that sound intelligence is the fulcrum of military operations, While the army authorities have come out with the usual platitude of ‘investigating’ the matter, there is a need to be more forthcoming on the details, even if to douse the feeling in many quarters that there was an initial attempt to downplay the incident except for the vigilance of some members of the public,” the statement read.
Army Chief Apologises
Meanwhile, The Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, on Tuesday, who visited the victims two days after the accidental strike in the Igabi area of the North-West state, described the incident as regrettable.
He also apologised on behalf of the Nigerian Army to the community, the government, and the people of Kaduna State.
Lagbaja promised to guard against such an occurrence in the conduct of military operations.
“My assessment of that unfortunate incident of Sunday, December 3, 2023, is that it is grave, regrettable. We will do everything possible to prevent such an occurrence from happening again in the conduct of our operations going forward,” he said about one of the country’s deadliest military bombing accidents.
The army chief was accompanied by principal staff officers from the army headquarters and the General Officer Commanding 1 Division and also met with the Dangaladima Zazau, the District Head of Rigasa, Architect Aminu Idris, other leaders, and members of the community.
