Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani yesterday took an exception to a statement by the Defence Headquarters on last Sunday’s army bombing of Tundi Buri, Igabi Local Government Area, which has so far claimed 87 lives.
The Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj-Gen. Edward Buba, had said on Tuesday that the army had suspected the presence of terrorists in the area after an aerial surveillance captured movement of persons synonymous with terrorist tactics and mode of operation.
“It should be noted that terrorists often deliberately embed themselves within civilian population centres for the civilian population to bear the consequences of their atrocities. Nevertheless, the Nigerian military does its best at all times to distinguish between civilians and terrorists,” Buba said.
But speaking on Channels Television yesterday on the attack, Sani said the DHQ statement was ‘very careless.”
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar said separately that he would continue to push for justice for victims of the bombing.
But Sani hailed President Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima and the Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Lagbaja, for their quick intervention which he said defused the tension sparked by the bombing.
“These are the statements that are responsible and show a lot of empathy. It’s a time to show empathy and not a time to make excuses, because for the families – we are trying to calm them down and make them understand that the government will fight for justice,” he said.
“But making excuses before the investigation is concluded, I think it’s unnecessary.”
“What happened in Tundi Buri is something that is unfortunate. But the fact that the Chief of Army Staff took responsibility is the reason why the community is calm,” he said.
“But to say that the terrorists are in the community is something that needs verification. I think that is a very careless statement when I heard it yesterday.
“If you visit the hospital and see what is happening, you would condemn statements like this.”
He asked the CoAS to get the DHQ statement retracted.
He also welcomed the investigation ordered into the incident by Tinubu to prevent a re-occurrence.
But the governor explained that regardless of the DHQ statement, the military still has his support in the fight against insurgency and banditry in the country.
“Because we are not talking about that, but like I said earlier, we are going to continue to support the army and the military generally, as well as the other security agencies, in the fight against terrorism and insurgency in Kaduna State,” Governor Sani said.
He pledged that government would commence the rebuilding of the devastated community in the next three weeks.
“In the course of this incident, we are starting a programme. So the whole community will be rebuilt,” he said.
“Today they have taken responsibility and it’s a way forward. Having taken responsibility, we will have to fast-track the investigation and ensure that those involved are dealt with decisively.”
“For me, it’s key and that will make the community a bit calm and satisfied.”
He also promised to ensure justice for the bombing victims.
“What I can say here is that we, as government of Kaduna State, will continue to follow investigation and ensure that everything is done within a timeframe.
“But on our part, the Kaduna State Government has been supporting families with a lot of palliatives. We have done that on the first day of the incident.
“Those in the hospital, the Kaduna State Government is looking after them, paying their medical bills. (We are taking care of) those that lost their parents completely, because we have a family which both the father and mother were killed and seven children are in the hospital.
“So we will try as much as possible to look after them. The responsibility of our government is to protect the lives and property of the citizens of Kaduna State.
