By Linus Aleke, Abuja
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ), on Thursday said, the two military personnel linked to the airstrike that killed civilians at Tudun Biri, in Kaduna State will be court martialed.
In an update by Director Defence Media Operation, Major General Edward Buba, the military said the outcome of investigations into the Tudun Biri incident that occurred in Kaduna State indicates that it was indeed a sad event that shouldn’t have occurred.
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The military, he said, has conducted a painstaking investigation into the incident and has initiated disciplinary action against those culpable.
“Accordingly, the affected two personnel are to face a court martial for acts of omission or commission with respect to the incident. It therefore would be adjudged as prejudicial to speak further on the case, since it is before a court. Nevertheless, it must be made clear that the incident was a mistake. The victims of the strike were mistaken for terrorist. However, on this note, on behalf of the CDS, officers and personnel of the AFN. Our condolences goes out to the families and loved ones of all those killed by the sad air strike,” Gen Buba said.
He assured that there would be no repeat of strikes on non combatants in ongoing operations, concluding that the military will take extra precautions in the future to ensure that non combatants are safe.
Also, General Buba said that synchronised strikes between the ground and air forces in April resulted in the killing of over 715 terrorists.
He added that troops also arrested 146 outlaws and rescued no fewer than 465 kidnapped hostages, within the period under review.
Gen Buba, who said this on Thursday during the biweekly briefing on the activities of the military and other security agencies, also revealed that troops recovered 937 assorted weapons, 23,034 assorted ammunition and denied the oil thieves of over N2 billion only.
Others, he said are 2,563,335 litres of stolen crude oil, 254,620 litres of illegally refined AGO, 1,050 litres of DPK and 8,000 litres of PMS amongst other item.
He said: “air assets conducted aggressive air flights during the period under review. Upon confirmation of terrorist presence and the movement of terrorist commanders and their foot soldiers. The targets are acquired and fighter jets scrambled to carry out major bombarding raids on significant terrorist enclave. The terrorist leaders enclaves engaged include that of terrorist Nasanda and his loyalist in Zurmi LGA of Katsina State. Also, on 13 April 2024, three senior terrorist commanders (Ali Dawud, Bakura Fallujah and Mallam Ari) were neutralized at Kolleram Village along Lake Chad. Additionally, on 15 April 2024, the enclave of terrorist commander Babaru in Kankara LGA of Katsina State was destroyed. Similarly, on 19 Apr 24, the terrorist hideout belonging to a senior terrorist commander Kamilu Buzaru’s in Danmusa LGA of Katsina State was decimated. Then, On 20 April 2024, the gathering of senior terrorist commander Ado Ailero and Kamilu Buzaru’s in Danmusa LGA of Katsina State was disrupted by air strikes. Several terrorist combatants and the Commanders were neutralized in the air strikes.
“Other terrorist Commanders engaged by air strikes include that of Mallam Yadee at Mariga LGA of Niger State. Then, the Enclave of Abdullahi Nasanda and Mallam Tukur in Zurmi and Gusau LGAs of Zamfara State. Thereafter, is the Enclave of Mallam Umar and several other commanders located in the Alawa Forest area of Niger State. Furthermore is Bello Turji’s Camp in Kagara Forest located between Shinkafi in Zamfara and Isa LGA in Sokoto. All the surviving terrorist Commanders and leaders are walking corpses as we would get them, sooner than later”.
He concluded that the armed forces is building and maintaining the momentum against the terrorist and their cohorts across the country.
