The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has called for an investigation into the bombing mishap in a village at Tudun Biri in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The Nigerian Army claimed responsibility for the incident which occurred during Maulud, a joyful gathering marking the birth of Prophet Muhammad, on Sunday, December 3, 2023.

Speaking, the ACF, in a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Prof. T. A. Muhammad-Baba, said 80 people, mostly children and women, were killed with scores injured in the incident.

Muhammad-Baba added: “ACF is perplexed and deeply disturbed that such an operation could be contemplated and executed in this densely populated area, suggesting an inexcusable, scandalous, and plausibly incompetent failure of intelligence.

“While the army authorities have come out with the usual platitude of ‘investigating’ the matter, there is a need to be more forthcoming on the details, even if to douse the feeling in many quarters that there was an initial attempt to downplay the incident except for the vigilance of some members of the public.”

He stated that further action must be taken, involving “a full, thorough, honest, and open investigation of the incident, to establish what exactly happened, who was involved and how, the number of lives lost and injured; etc. Any and all those found guilty of professional or operational incompetence must be severely disciplined, and transparently so.

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“The investigation must be undertaken with the full participation of the people of the affected community (who must not be intimidated into keeping quiet on the gory details of their losses). For emphasis, the Kaduna State Government has a duty to act to protect the interest of the victims and not the Nigerian Army personnel that perpetrated the incident.

“Full compensation must be paid for the dead in accordance with current Islamic diya value for individual lives.

“The injured must not only be fully treated free of charge but must also be rehabilitated on full recovery, as well as fully compensated for losses of livelihoods and incomes while on the road to full recovery.

“To restore confidence of the people, the Nigerian Army, must apologise to the people of the communities affected by the incident.

“Additionally, as a sign of good faith, the Nigerian Army should immediately undertake medical and other community rehabilitation outreach in the affected communities.

“The Chief of Defence Staff should order all elements of the military to evolve a sound strategy to avoid the experience of mishaps such as had occurred at Tudun Biri, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State,” the ACF spokesperson said.

He, however, commended the Kaduna State Government for “its quick response to the situation and coming to the aid of the injured” and commiserated with the families of the victims.

The Star