Northern Groups Faults DHQ On Kaduna Bombing

The coalition of Northern Groups  (CNG) has expressed sadness over the recent military airstrikes in Tudun Biri village in Igabi local government area of Kaduna State, resulting in the tragic loss of innocent lives during a peaceful religious festivity. It alleged deliberate plot to decimate the region’s population and reduce its numerical advantage.  

 The CNG said it particularly worried that despite the killing of over 100 unarmed civilians and injuring several others, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Tuesday, December 5, attempted to shift blames by the saying that the Nigerian Army did its best to distinguish between civilians and terrorists in the bombing of the community in Kaduna State.

 In a statement by the national coordinator, CNG, Comrade Jamilu Aliyu Charanchi, he  said, the CNG finds it disturbing that without remorse, the DHQ tried to justify the heinous act of killing of innocent civilians by saying that terrorists often mix with civilians, noting that the Army’s unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) detachment observed the movement of terrorists at Ligarma, an area notorious for being a haven for insurgents. It said the DHQ's attempt to “shamelessly shift blame and justify the killing of innocent civilians is deeply troubling as it seems to lack remorse and accountability, which raises questions about the ethical conduct of the Nigerian Army.”

It said the DHQ's argument that terrorists often mix with civilians is not a valid justification for the loss of innocent lives, adding that the indiscriminate bombing of a community, regardless of the presence of terrorists, is a clear violation of international humanitarian law.

It said, "The DHQ's claim that the Army's unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) detachment observed the movement of terrorists in the area is insufficient to justify the loss of civilian lives. The use of UAVs should enhance the military's ability to gather intelligence and accurately identify targets, thereby reducing the risk of civilian casualties. However, it is evident that this was not the case in the Kaduna State incident. The failure to distinguish between civilians and terrorists is shameful and questions the effectiveness and professionalism of the Nigerian Army."

The CNG said it is also worried by the disjointed, incoherent, contradictory, and uncoordinated explanations provided by the Defence Headquarters (DHQ), the Airforce, and the Army headquarters regarding the recent Kaduna attacks which raise concerns about the effectiveness of their operations. 

 “This confirms the fears that the prevalence of insecurity in Nigeria over the last 16 years can be attributed, in part, to the lack of coordination and collaboration which indicates a larger problem within Nigeria's security forces. 

CNG notes that this lack of coordination is due to the absence of a centralized command structure. Without a clear chain of command, each arm of the security forces operates independently, leading to confusion and conflicting strategies,” it noted. 

The group said, occurrence of civilian casualties in drone strikes is not a new phenomenon in northern Nigeria demonstrating the grave consequences of military operations that fail to distinguish between combatants and innocent civilians.

It listed similar incidents in the past in Borno, Yobe, Nasarawa, Zamfara and Niger states among others where hundreds of civilians were killed, saying the disturbing thing here is that in all these atrocities not a single soldier has been arraigned for their commission and not a mention is made to compensate the victims or reconstructing and resettling the destroyed and displaced communities. 

 It said this indifference by the federal government when it involves the North has further heightened the concerns that these killings are part of a wider agenda to decimate the northern numerical superiority.  “The incidents of civilian casualties in Nigeria are not isolated events but rather a recurring pattern. The examples provided, such as the drone attack during the Maulud celebrations and previous accidental bombings in various states suffice,” it said.