On December 3, the people of Tudun Biri community of Igabi local government, Kaduna state, witnessed one of the worst tragedies in their lives. They were celebrating Maulud when military drone which was going after bandits dropped bombs and killed over 100 innocent people.
When the unfortunate and gory incident happened, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) was accused of the dastardly operation which It denied. However, the Nigerian military later accepted responsibility for what it described as accidental discharge or bombing.
The killing of hundreds of innocent people was greeted by condemnations from Nigerians, traditional rulers, religious leaders, government officials and the presidency. Since the fatal bombing which resulted in high number of deaths and injuries, there have been calls from different parts of the country for proper investigation.
The Nigerian military, until it was dragged into counter-terrorism war, had remained in the barracks and defended our territorial boundaries whenever the need arises. Besides, it also carried out other international assignments with utmost professionalism. Following the emergence of Boko Haram insurgents in 2007 and the threat it posed to the country’s sovereignty, the military was deployed to crush the insurgents and provide internal security.
The Nigerian army is not only waging war against Boko Haram insurgents, but also tackling the menace of banditry in the North-west and unknown gun men in the South-east. However, there are hues and cries against their operations. The military are being accused of human rights violations in the course of carrying out their assignments or operations.
They intimidate, maim and sometimes kill innocent people. Evidence to this effect abound and have been documented by the media and human rights organisations. In 2017, the Nigerian Air Force bombed more than 200 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Rann, Borno state. The same Air force killed some Fulani herdsmen in Doma, Nasarawa state, who went to reclaim their cows seized by the security of Benue state.
Sadly, it took NAF five months to explain that, the bombed Fulani victims were bandits. One can continue to count more atrocities committed against the defenseless Nigerians by the military since it began its counter-terrorism war . Consequently, when the Tudun Biri massacre happened, Nigerians quickly apportioned blames to the military.
The military did not need to always blame error or accidental discharge for their fatal killings. The so-called accidental bombings of civilians had occurred several times. The poser begging for answer is: What did the military do to avert reoccurrence? Unless those who operate the military jets or drones lack professionalism, they cannot keep dropping bombs at every gatherings in the name of killing terrorists. They have to be guided by intelligence sharing and precision.
There is no doubt that war against terrorists, who resorted to guerilla fighting in the midst of civilians, causes collateral damages. The military needs to exercise extreme caution to minimise the damage. It needs to deploy professionalism and adhere strictly to the rules of engagements. Nigeria is not the first country to fight terrorism, other countries have done and are still doing it. It may Interest you to know that those advanced countries deploy non-kinetic approach to silence their adversaries instead of guns.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s concern over the sad massacre is commendable. The federal government delegations led by Vice President Kashim Shettima and the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, who visited the injured victims in Yusuf Dantsoho Memorial Hospital Kaduna demonstrated how government is deeply touched by the horrific incident.
Government’s assurance to investigate the circumstances surrounding the killings, rebuild the community and compensate victims will go a long way towards consoling the community. Moreover, the director, military media operations, Edward Buba, has assured Nigerians that the military will never repeat the costly mistake as it will exercise caution in its operations and adhere to the rules of engagement. Nigerians hope the military will keep its words to avoid another tragedy.
Ibrahim Mustapha,
Pambegua, Kaduna state
08169056963.
