A group of civil society organisations have commended the offices of the Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of Army Staff for their prompt responses to the incident and victims of the recent drone strike in Tudun Biri, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, by the Nigerian Army.
The CSOs, under the aegis of Civil Societies and the Coordinator of Civil-Military Cooperation in Nigeria, described as unfortunate the incident that took the lives of many residents in Tudun Biri and called on international bodies, organisations, and well-meaning Nigerians to rather commiserate and support the people affected by the incident instead of focusing on the losses.
Gathered in Abuja for a roundtable discussion on a couple of issues making rounds in Nigeria in Abuja, the CSOs, in a statement read by its Chairperson, Adams Otakwu, said: “Such an incident that led to the loss of innocent lives and several others wounded in a community with a mix of Muslims and Christians, as noted by the district head of the community, Arc Aminu Idris, can best be described as unfortunate and a loss, not just to Tudun Biri, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, or a single faith, but to the country at large.”
The group then said, “We commiserate with the immediate community, the state, and the entire nation, and urge restraint on the part of groups and individuals politicising, regionalizing, or religionizing the incident.
“As the voice and conscience of the masses, we note the promptness with which the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Army Staff visited to condole with the community, where the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, on behalf of the Nigerian Army, apologised and made provisions for the upkeep and medical care of those wounded.
“This underscores the responsibility of the Nigerian Army, and we urge all Nigerians as well as the international community to extend condolences, benevolences, and prayers to the people of Tudun Biri, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State at this trying moment, in addition to the responses by the Kaduna State Government, Civil Society, Armed Forces, Ministers of Defence, and the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“As watchdogs of society, we caution and call on those stoking needless tensions around the incident to desist forthwith, as we look forward to a thorough and transparent investigation as ordered by the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Again, this is not a political, regional, or religious issue and should not be projected or interpreted as such, in the interest of national harmony, peace, and security.”
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