The Kaduna State governor, Senator Uba Sani, has added his voice to the exact number of those killed by the error bombing by a Nigerian Army drone last Sunday in Tudun Biri village in Igabi Local Government Area.
He says the number increased to 86 after one of the 76 receiving treatment died on Wednesday.
He told Arise TV in an interview monitored in Abuja that 11 children were orphaned by the tragic mistake of the mitary.
Of the 11 children, five are of the same parentage, the governor disclosed.
Recall that theNational Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) had faulted Amnesty International on the number of casualties, saying that 85 were killed in the air strike by the Nigerian Army.
Amnesty International claimed that over 120 persons were killed while several others were injured by the Army bombings
The North-West zonal spokesman of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Halima Suleiman, told Channels Television that 66 other victims were also injured.
“The Northwest Zonal Office has received details from the local authorities that 85 dead bodies have so far been buried while a search is still ongoing,” NEMA said.
However, emergency officials were still negotiating with community leaders to calm tensions to be able to reach the village.
A Kaduna State and public affairs commentator, Polycarp Gbaja, says there could be more to the tragedy adding that a thorough investigation should be conducted.
He adds:.
▪︎The Intel and protocols by the command chain of the assault should be interrogated.
▪︎Is there any truth to the embedding of terrorists with civilians in previous or the present event?
▪︎Which Eid-el-Maulud is this? The Federal Government declared Wednesday, September 27, 2023, as Eid-el-Maulud. What kind of procession took place Sunday 03.12.23 and why was it done at night, which was clearly not Eid-el-Maulid, as reported?
▪︎ Clearly, there doesn’t seem to be a coordination of the relevant forces.
▪︎ Counterterror operations are highly specialised and carried out by no less than well trained SEAL agents, especially when it is clear the terrorists are known to use civilian shields, women & children, in particular.
▪︎ It is the height of irresponsibility for regular army to just bomb out a whole village.
▪︎So, the military knows the area was infested with terrorists, for quite a time? Then this assault was blatantly clumsy, unprofessional and a capital blunder, clearly without due diligence or regard to civilian lives they were meant to protect. Was it ordered, by whoever did, out of political expediency or what?
This must be thoroughly queried and justice done for the innocent lives, cut short, so brutally.