The Volunteers for Democracy and Good Governance, a volunteer group of patriots committed to the rule of law through advocacy has called on the Federal Government to conduct a full investigation and compensate victims of the recent accidental bombing through a drone attack by the Nigerian Army at Tudun Biri village in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
This was made known in a statement signed on Monday and issued to Stallion Times on Wednesday by the group’s Public Relations Officer, Hon Shehu Isah.
According to the statement, these attacks left over 120 innocent men, women, and children dead with another 60 people injured recuperating in various health facilities.
The statement added: “More disturbing is the report that the number of both the dead and injured may be much higher from eye witness or residents account.
“Having studied the whole gory and unfortunate avoidable incidence including recalling previous air mishap attacks, particularly in Northern Nigeria, Volunteers for Democracy strongly call for a stop to these unnecessary killings.
“A full-scale investigation must be carried out immediately to unravel those behind series of killings and maiming of innocent souls from the same army or security agencies that are mandated to protect law-abiding citizens.
“This incident is a National Calamity that will take a long time to forget. It also brings to fore, the need for a total overhaul of the operations of the Nigeria Armed Forces while strongly for a review of previous similar occurrences from 2014 to date.
“Reports by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch indicate that there are always more losses of women and children when such mishaps occur.
“It is disheartening to note that these tragedies numbered over 400 deaths in a period of nine years (2014-2023) in 19 attacks across the North.
“It is our belief that if these atrocities of mishaps or ‘errors’ are not deliberate, we are of the opinion that they epitomize serious negligence associated with lack of professionalism and military precision in this 21st century.”
The Group joined other Nigerians to console the immediate families of all those who lost their lives, the Emir of Zazzau, the good people of Kaduna, and the recuperating victims.
The statement further recommended immediate measures of relief materials to the injured victims and immediate families of all deceased, payment of full compensation to all victims, the deceased, and the injured, rehabilitation through housing provision/rebuilding, the launching of full-scale investigation through a high powered committee with technocrats and people of impeccable character and track record including retired military officers.
The presidency through the Defence Ministry to direct all the Senior Officers involved to step aside to pave the way for thorough and unhindered investigation, an overhaul of our security architecture to be in tune with international best practices in the war against terrorism, banditry, armed robbery/conflict and farmer-herder clashes and volunteers for Democracy appreciate effort taken by the Federal Government and expect an immediate implementation of promises made.
