- ‘Accidental bombing of Kaduna village should not demoralise you’
The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has urged the military to remain focused in its battle against terrorists.
He said Sunday’s accidental bombing of civilians in Kaduna State should not dampen their fighting spirit.
The minister, who regretted the incident, noted that despite what had happened, the fight against insurgency and terrorism must continue.
Matawalle said this when he visited the survivors of the incident at Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital in Kaduna.
He said: “We are not going to relent in our fight against terrorism because these criminals must be defeated. We are going to continue fighting the criminals till we succeed against banditry and other criminalities in this country.”
A statement in Abuja by the Director of Information, Henshaw Ogubike, said the minister, who was accompanied by top officials of the ministry, conveyed Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru Abubakar’s message to the survivors.
He conveyed the Federal Government’s condolences to the families of those who died in the incident.
Also, members of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) yesterday held a peaceful protest at the gates of the National Assembly in Abuja.
They demanded justice for victims of the military bombing that occurred at Tudun Biri in the Rigassa area of Kaduna State.
They said the killings in the north were unacceptable.
Leader of the protesters, who were members of the NYCN from the Northwest and Arewa Youth Movement, Nasir Ishaku, said victims of the incident must get justice from the government.
Also, Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin has condoled with the families of victims of the accidental bombing in Kaduna State.
He described the incident as unfortunate.
Barau called for a thorough investigation into the incident, as directed by President Tinubu.
The Deputy Senate President urged security forces to scrutinise the incident.
He prayed Allah to grant the dead Al-Jannatul Fir’daus and strengthen the families to bear the irreparable loss.
Also, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC); the Yoruba community in Kaduna, under the auspices of Yoruba Welfare Council; and the Aare Atunluse Omoluwabi Oodua Worldwide, Chief Muritala Audu, have condoled with the bereaved families and the Kaduna State government over the incident.
They urged the Federal Government to carry out a thorough investigation into the bombing and ensure adequate compensation to the families of the victims.
Also, survivors of the accidental bombing have claimed that the death toll had risen to 127 as at last night. This could not be independently confirmed.
On Tuesday, The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) gave death toll as 85, with 66 injured.
The survivors, who claimed to have carried out a census of the attendees at the Maulud Nabbiy celebration when the drone attack happened, said several others were still unaccounted for.
Also, the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) and Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation (SABMF) yesterday described the incident as one error too many.
At the Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital in Kaduna, a member of the family of the victims, Idris Dahiru, said more injured people and dead bodies were brought to the hospital yesterday.
Dahiru, who claimed to have lost 34 members of his family, added: “This morning, some people were picked up in the forest and they were brought to the hospital.
“The number of injured people has increased to 75. One person had died this morning (yesterday). Some of the injured persons have been moved to other hospitals. Some have been moved to 44 Army Reference Hospital, One Division, Nigeria military facility, while some are still here in Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital.”
THE NATION
