By Felix Khanoba
The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has strongly condemned the military airstrikes on innocent civilians during a religious procession in Tudun Biri community, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, National Coordinator of CNG, Comrade Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, said it was disturbing that the military was trying to shift blame on the ugly incident by saying that the Nigerian Army did its best to distinguish between civilians and terrorists.
While calling for a transparent investigation into the incident to ensure that all those responsible are brought to book, CNG, which went down memory lane on several bombings of innocent civilians in Nasarawa, Niger, Yobe, Zamfara, Katsina and Borno states in time past, lamented the failure of the Federal Government to take any reasonable action on such killings of innocent Northerners by military.
The coalition said the inaction of government in such bombings of civilians in time past was giving credence to insinuations that the killings are part of a wider agenda to decimate the northern numerical superiority.
“The disturbing thing here is that in all these atrocities not a single soldier has been arraigned for their commission and not a mention is made to compensating the victims or reconstructing and resettling the destroyed and displaced communities.
” This indifference by the federal government when it involves the North has further heightened the concerns that these killings are part of a wider agenda to decimate the northern numerical superiority….
” The current incident of bombing lives out of more than a hundred people in Northern Nigeria without a single arrest made by the federal government raises questions about the disparities in response if similar incidents were to occur in southern Nigeria.
“It is saddening to recall that just a while ago, a lady was shot dead by a policeman and he was quickly arrested and put to trial, but more than seventy-five hours after the bombing of a whole community in the North, no arrest has been made of either the soldier that operated the drone or the commanding officer or any accomplice to the dastardly act.
“This brings back the sad memory of the assassination of General Mamman Shuwa a few distance from a military formation and no arrest has been made several years after,” CNG said.
The coalition, however, called on Nigerian government to enhance its counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations by improving intelligence gathering, coordination, and execution of military operations to prevent killing of innocent people as witnessed in Tudun Biri.
“The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) is saddened by the recent military airstrikes in Tudun Biri village, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, resulting in the tragic loss of innocent lives during a peaceful religious festivity.
” The CNG is particularly worried that despite the killing of over 100 unarmed civilians and injuring several others, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Tuesday, December 5, attempted to shift blames by the saying that the Nigerian Army did its best to distinguish between civilians and terrorists in the bombing of the community in Kaduna state.
“The CNG finds it disturbing that without remorse, the DHQ tried to justify the heinous act of killing of innocent civilians by saying that terrorists often mix with civilians, noting that the Army’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) detachment observed the movement of terrorists at Ligarma, an area notorious for being a haven for insurgents.
“The DHQ’s attempt to shamelessly shift blame and justify the killing of innocent civilians is deeply troubling as it seems to lack remorse and accountability, which raises questions about the ethical conduct of the Nigerian Army.
” The DHQ’s argument that terrorists often mix with civilians is not a valid justification for the loss of innocent lives. The indiscriminate bombing of a community, regardless of the presence of terrorists, is a clear violation of international humanitarian law.
Furthermore, the DHQ’s claim that the Army’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) detachment observed the movement of terrorists in the area is insufficient to justify the loss of civilian lives. The use of UAVs should enhance the military’s ability to gather intelligence and accurately identify targets, thereby reducing the risk of civilian casualties. However, it is evident that this was not the case in the Kaduna state incident. The failure to distinguish between civilians and terrorists is shameful and questions the effectiveness and professionalism of the Nigerian Army, ” it said.
The coalition which called for community participation and cooperation with law enforcement agents in curbing terrorists’ tactics of mingling with civilians, also advocated for adequate compensation for the victims of the incident.
” The CNG demands adequate compensation for the victims of the Kaduna killings not only a means of providing financial support to the affected families but also a gesture of acknowledgment and empathy,” the coalition added.
