…Call reckless, in bad faith
By Hassan Zaggi
A coalition of some Non Governmental Organizations (NGO) have condemned in strong terms the call for the sack of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) over the unfortunate, mistaken bombing of some innocent civilians in the Tudun Biri area of Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna state.
The group which is led by a foremost African peace-building group- Global Peace and Life Rescue Initiative (GOPRI) made the call in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday.
It however, regretted that the call for the sack of the CDS and COAS was uncalled for, in bad faith and not in the best interest of the country.
While commiserating with the families, people, and Government of Kaduna State, the group said it received the news of the development with serious pain.
It, therefore, appealed to residents of the state to believe in the ability of the nation’s Armed Forces to enthrone a secured Nigeria for the betterment of all citizens.
The group explained that the military drone was in hot pursuit of some terrorists that infiltrated some communities in the area before the unfortunate incident happened.
While expressing its heartfelt condolences to the families, people, and government of the state, the group, however, took a swipe at a call for the resignation or sack of the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Army Staff by a northern-based group operating as Arewa Action Group for Good Governance.
Recall that the Arewa group on Tuesday alleged that the action of the Nigerian Army has cast a shadow on the human rights rating of the Nigerian Army.
The group in a statement signed by Moses Saleh, accused the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Gwabin Musa, of conniving with the Nigerian Army to cause havoc in communities in Kaduna State.
But in its reaction to the allegation, the GOPRI-led coalition expressed disappointment at the claim by the northern group even as it said such a group was not in existence anywhere in Nigeria or beyond.
The coalition therefore called on the military chiefs not to be deterred in their relentless efforts to rid Nigeria of terrorists following the actions of some faceless individuals masquerading under some nonexisting groups.
In the statement signed by the Executive Director of GOPRI, Amb. Melvin Ejeh, the coalition commended President Bola Tinubu over the high-powered delegation he dispatched to the community for immediate assessment of the situation.
The group which said though it does not speak for the military, it, however, said the Nigerian military remains one of the best in the world, advising that a single mistake should not be a yardstick to attack the nation’s revered military who are making sacrifices and achieving monumental results daily.
“In as much as we won’t want to join issues with the nonexisting group, we will not also sit on the fence while some enemies of the country succeed in their desperate clandestine plan to pitch Nigerians against the military and its leadership.
“The Global Fire Power (GFP), an institution that ranks the military of different countries, recently rated the Nigerian military as one of the best in the world, in its survey.
“This places Nigeria above 18 European countries namely: Denmark, Belgium, Portugal, Bulgaria, Austria, Ireland, Macedonia, Finland, Hungary, Croatia, Slovakia, Serbia, Albania, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Anybody in doubt can do their research,” the coalition said.
The coalition further said: “We are saddened over the unfortunate deaths of innocent civilians in Kaduna State. Our hearts go to the immediate family of the deceased. We sympathize with the families, people, and Government of Kaduna State over this regrettable incident.
“We, therefore, call on the Government to make adequate arrangements for the families the deceased left behind.”
Drone bombing: Group condemns call for sack of CDS, COAS
