THERE is no way you will have a beating heart inside you and not be livid by the tragic ‘Error’ or so they call it, by the Nigerian army. A gross error that resulted in the bombings of people who gathered for Maulud on the 3rd December, 2023 by the Army “drone” in Tudun Biri, Igabi LGA in Kaduna State. Some 127 people were reportedly killed in the errorful attack and another 60 were badly injured and are hospitalized.
It’s no longer news that shortly after the tragic incident, the Kaduna State Government says the Nigerian Army has claimed responsibility for dropping the bombs on Tudun Biri village. The Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said the General Officer Commanding 1 Division Nigerian Army and Force Commander Operation Whirl Punch, Maj Gen VU Okoro, admitted that the Nigerian Army was on a routine mission against terrorists when the incident happened in error.
For the record, let’s define an error, mistake or whatever word the Army used to label this tragedy. According to the Oxford Language Dictionary; ‘an error is the state or condition of being wrong in conduct or judgement’. another definition says, ‘as error is a deviation from accuracy or correctness; a mistake, as in action or speech’. none of the above definition qualifies for the army’s action in Tudun Biri and this is why.
As the nation mourned the dead, survivors of the bombing recounted their experiences. A Forty-five-year-old Saudatu Alamagani, in an interview with a national newspaper said, the community was bombed twice. According to Alamagani, who narrowly escaped being killed in the attack, said while celebrating the Maulud, “The military started raining bombs on us’’, adding that at first, the worshippers mistook their attackers to be bandits. She stated that while everybody scampered for safety, dead bodies littered “everywhere.”
She stated that while members of the community went in search of motorcycle operators to convey the critically injured to the nearest medical facilities for treatment, the military bombed the community again. “While we were looking for motorcycles to convey those that critically needed medical attention to the hospital, the military returned with the bombardment. Many villagers including women, men, children, and more pregnant women were killed during the second attack. The military haven’t clarified were the village ws bombed twice, Of course errors don’s happen twice.
Secondly, over the years, Nigeria has recorded several of such ‘errorful’ strikes by the Army, killing innocent citizens across the country. This mistake has been going on for a while and no action has been taken. With over 300 civilians killed in accidental airstrikes by the NAF since 2017 in the pursuit of terrorists- their claim. Agreed it’s a fight against the terrorists, but there seem to be as many civilian casualities as it is with innocent civilians.
On January 17, 2017, about 52 people were killed while 120 others sustained injuries in an accidental airstrike on an Internally Displaced Persons camp in Rann, Borno State. Where people run to for refuge and solace is no longer safe, then I am afraid nowhere is safe.
Also, on April 13, 2020, 17 people, including children, were killed after a NAF fighter jet bombed Sakotoku village in Damboa LGA of the State. Even in war children are protected, how can they not have noticed? Where is our humanity?
In April 2022, a NAF fighter jet reportedly killed six children, when it fired a bomb targeted at terrorists in Kurebe village in Shiroro LGA of Niger State. well, this was at least targeted at terrorists, but no expertise, or was it negligence?
13 residents were injured while one other died after a NAF fighter jet struck Kunkuna village in the Safana LGA of Katsina on July 7, 2022, among others, in June 2022.
In January this year, 37 people including 27 pastoralists were killed after the bomb exploded at the border linking Benue and Nasarawa states at the Doma local government area of Nasarawa State.
What irks me more about this whole tragedy is publicity stunt visits of the army and the govt people as well as the non-challance of the social media peeps on the matter especially the ‘loud-mouthed’ Arewa Twitter’. On the part of the govt, shortly after the incident, the fourth edition of the Chief of Defence Staff Armed Forces and Security Agencies Half Marathon Championship, Abuja 2023 took place. Why didn’t the CDs cancel that ceremonial sport event out of respect for the victims of hos colleague’s bombing?
The Senate President of the Federal Republic, Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio took the stage to celebrate his 61st Birthday on Saturday at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, Akwa Ibom and according to a source, about 28 private jets landed at the Uyo airport filled with govt dignitaries. royalties and business people while the people of Kaduna mourned. Why didn’t the Senate President postponed that birthday gig out of respect for the victims of Tudun biri, would he have gone ahead with that gathering if the 127 people bombed were Akwa Ibom indigenes?
What is the federal government waiting for before it declares a mourning day/days on such national tragedy?
When star rapper Mobad was allegedly killed by some of his associates, there were over 48 trending #justiceformobad hashtags and there were about 11 street protests across nine states demanding justice for the musician. I am yet to see a single trending hashtag or a street protest in honour of the victims of Tudun Biri victims across the 19 northern states except from the little show at the National Assembly the other day. Well, I have said enough on the nonchalance of govt on this matter and the annoying hypocrisy of the social media. I rest my case on that.
It’s interesting that Nigeria has the means and capacity for such devastating air strikes, and yet bandits and kidnappers torment the north-west with alarming ease? Why didn’t this mistake bombing happen where it is much needed?
For the next few days, it is going to be a galore of statement after statement of condemnation both local and international on this tragic event, and visits to the families and hospitals, I am saddened here and there will paint the media space. In the end, not all the families will even get the compensation, all they are left with is grief and memories.
Are we at all safe in the country? We will now be scared of kidnappers, scared of airstrikes among many other hardships we are facing in the country.
May Nigeria not happen to us.
Kabara, is a writer and public commentator. Her syndicated column, Voice, appears on News Point Nigeria newspaper on Mondays.