ABUJA —Atiku Abubakar has lamented the accidental bombing of residents in the Tudun Biri community of Kaduna by the Nigerian Army, calling for what he described as a “thorough investigation” into the incident.
Eighty-five persons were killed and sixty-six injured in the Sunday accidental bombing in Nigeria’s North-West, a region battling banditry and kidnapping.
Days after the incident which has thrown the nation into mourning Atiku, who was the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 elections, says the air strike was an “unfortunate incident”.
“I am grieved by the news of the drone airstrike that killed dozens of people and left scores of others with various degrees of injury in the Tudun Biri community in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State. Ironically, the victims of this unfortunate incident were celebrating the Maulud anniversary,” Atiku, a former vice president, wrote on his X account Tuesday.
“The incidence of miscalculated air strikes is assuming a worrisome dimension in the country. We need to develop counterinsurgency strategies that will insulate the civilian population from tragic incidents of this nature. I call on the authorities to launch a thorough investigation into this tragedy to avert future occurrences.”
While condoling with the families of the victims, he said “no resource should be spared in medical attention to the injured and assistance to the families of the dead.
“I pray that the Almighty Allah comforts the bereaved families and grants the dead eternal peace.”
Already, President Bola Tinubu and Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State have ordered a probe into the incident while also condoling the victims and their families.
“President Tinubu describes the incident as very unfortunate, disturbing, and painful, expressing indignation and grief over the tragic loss of Nigerian lives,” presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale said on Tuesday.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) had earlier denied involvement in the incident. However, the Nigerian Army claimed responsibility for the ‘accidental’ bombing.
Two days after the bombing, Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja visited the community to condole the victims and their families. The visit was also for an on-the-spot assessment of the community.
Sunday’s incident is one of the country’s deadliest military bombing accidents. Nigeria’s armed forces often rely on air strikes in their battle against so-called bandit militias in the northwest and northeast of the country, where jihadists have been fighting for more than a decade.
