On Friday, General Christopher Musa, the Chief of Defence Staff, expressed regret over the army air strike that unintentionally resulted in civilian casualties in Tudun Biri, Kaduna, on December 3. He assured that anyone found responsible for the incident would face consequences,Daily Trusr reports.
Criticism arose following the airstrike, leading to the death of approximately 85 individuals and the hospitalization of numerous others. President Bola Tinubu pledged an independent investigation, emphasizing that those found culpable would be appropriately dealt with.
In an interaction with the media, General Musa addressed the incident, stating, “The occurrence in Kaduna is highly regrettable; it should not have happened. Our mandate was to protect civilians, not to cause harm or destruction.” He explained that the military was actively pursuing bandits in the area at that time, leading to the unfortunate incident. General Musa expressed gratitude that the Commander-in-Chief had formed a committee to investigate the matter and provide recommendations to prevent future occurrences.
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Assuring transparency, General Musa mentioned that compensation would be arranged for identified casualties. He emphasized that the Armed Forces of Nigeria aimed to serve and urged Nigerians to take ownership of their armed forces. He affirmed the military’s commitment to discipline, stating that any officer found culpable would face punishment, citing previous instances of personnel facing consequences in Maiduguri.
General Musa urged patience, asking Nigerians to await the investigation’s outcome to gain a comprehensive understanding of the incident and its surrounding facts. The Tudun Biri accident took place during a religious holiday gathering, with an army drone mistakenly targeting them as terrorists and bandits, leading to the tragic incident.
