Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has alleged that the security agencies in Nigeria were not working on the same page over the Tudun-Biri community error bombing. He called on the Senate to help ensure that the survivors get justice.
The governor was responding to remarks by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Barau Jibrin, who represented the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, on a condolence visit to Sir Kashim Ibrahim House Kaduna, yesterday.
Governor Sani assured that the Kaduna State government would continue to support the security agencies in the discharge of their constitutional duties. He sought a speedy investigation into the error attack by the Army, with a view to bringing culprits to book and putting an end to future error attacks in any part of the country.
He also restated his earlier calls for a state police, which he believed would complement the existing security arrangement.
Jibrin, in his remarks, said that senators would donate their salaries to the Tudun-Biri community. He also expressed empathy over the error attack on Tudun-Biri community.
The Deputy Senate President’s entourage included Senators Ali Ndume, Lawal Usman, Abba Moro, Opeyemi Bamidele, Naziru Yar’Adua, and others. They visited and commiserated with the injured victims at Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital, Kaduna.
Senators donate salaries to Tudun-Biri bomb victims
In a statement by his Special Adviser Media and Publicity, Ismail Mudashir, Senator Barau said that the money would be sent to the governor for onward delivery to the victims.
The Deputy Senate President prayed to God to grant those who lost their lives paradise and wished the injured quick recovery.
He said: “Let me state clearly that the Senate has been in contact with the President of this country. He is also highly disturbed and has ordered a thorough investigation of the incident.
“We are all on the same page with the executive arm of the government and we will continue to work in partnership to unravel what happened. We will also take measures to prevent this kind of unfortunate incident from recurring.
“We are here to show our solidarity and to show the fact that we stand by the people. We stand by the government and indeed the entire people of the state, particularly the people of Tudun Biri in this trying period. We will partner with you and do all within our power to bring succor to those who are affected by this unfortunate incident.
“It is on this note that I want to announce, on behalf of the President of the Senate and the entire Senate, that we have decided that we are going to donate our December salaries to the victims.
“A total of N109 million will be made available to the governor so that it can be channelled to help the victims.”
Responding, Governor Sani thanked the senators for their donation and called for intelligence sharing among security agencies.
Publish names of the dead — LP
Meanwhile, Labour Party, LP, has urged the Federal Government to publish the names of the dead in the Tudun Biri village, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State error bombing by the military. The party also asked for the families of the victims to be well compensated.
LP’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, made the call in a statement yesterday, in Abuja.
LP said: “One week after the catastrophic mishap in Tudun Biri village of Kaduna state’s Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, where some Muslim brethren gathered to observe the holiday celebrating the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, which led to an untimely death of nearly 150 Nigerians, the Labour Party is calling on the government to publish the names of the dead and ensure that the family of the victims are well compensated.
“The party warned that bombing a target without precision and intel is anachronistic and cannot be deployed in modern warfare.
“It also wants the military, whether the Army or Air Force to assure Nigerians that such an annihilistic tactical approach to combat, that is capable of destroying unintended targets should be reviewed.
“Labour Party observes that the victims have been given a mass burial. And both the Federal and state government have sent their condolences to the victims’ families.
“We also gathered that a sum of N10 million was given by the military for the support of the burial.
“We, however, think that the government must pay adequate compensation to these families.
“Again, though the government has directed a thorough and full-fledged investigation into the incident, we think that any meaningful investigation can only be when the military, being the institution under investigation, is recused from the arrangement.
“We are very proud of the Nigerian military.
“They have shown gallantry in the battle against the insurgence, at least within the resources available to them. But we certainly frown at a situation where they turn their arms against their citizenry.”
Compensate victims of airstrikes or… — Falana
On his part, chairman of the Alliance on Surviving Covid-19 and Beyond, ASCAB, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, yesterday, tasked the Federal Government to pay adequate compensation to the victims of all airstrikes that have occurred in Nigeria in the past seven years.
Falana, in a statement, also vowed to drag the Federal Government before the court if it fails to compensate victims of airstrikes.
He said: “Between March 2014 and December 2023, the Nigeria Air Force and Nigeria Army dropped bombs in some states in the northern part of the country on 16 different occasions. The airstrikes claimed the lives of not less than 400 people.
“The most tragic incident occurred on January 17, 2017, when two bombs were dropped in the middle of Rann, Borno State, which hosted thousands of internally displaced persons, IDPs. The incident left 170 people, including aid workers and refugees dead, and many more injured.
“No doubt, the military authorities accepted responsibility for the airstrikes and claimed that the crashes were caused by ‘accidents’. But no compensation was paid to those who were injured and the families of scores of people who lost their lives in the tragic incidents.
“Shortly after the unfortunate incident, the Federal Government instituted a commission of enquiry headed by Justice Biobell Georgewill of the Court of Appeal. The commission was mandated to review extant rules of engagement applicable in the armed forces of Nigeria as well as the extent of compliance with the rules. Part of the mandate of the commission was to also prefer means of preventing violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.
“The commission was given 90 days for the assessment. Our law firm represented the victims of the Rann airstrike at the Commission of Enquiry. Upon the conclusion of the assignment, the commission submitted its report. But up until now, the Federal Government has neither published the report nor implemented the recommendations of the commission.
“Instead of setting up a new panel of enquiry, the Federal Government should publish the findings of the Georgewill Judicial Commission. The Federal Government should pay adequate compensation to the victims of all airstrikes that have occurred in Nigeria in the past seven years.
“If our demand is not met within the next two weeks, we shall sue the Federal Government at the Federal High Court to secure the enforcement of the fundamental right of the victims to life.”
SOURCE: VANGUARD
