The Nigerian Army, mistaking a village for a bandits’ camp on Sunday night, bombed a Maulud event in Kurmin Biri village in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, killing no fewer than 85 villagers.
A fresh statement from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) stated that, based on information from the local authorities, 85 dead bodies have been buried thus far, and the search is still ongoing.
The report indicated that the casualties ranged from children, women, and the elderly.
Meanwhile, no fewer than 53 others seriously injured are in hospitals, receiving treatments.
However, a survivor, said over 100 were killed.
It was gathered that while the event attendees were trying to rescue and take the injured to a nearby health facility and the dead for burial, the aircraft returned and dropped a second bomb, causing further damage in the village.
Meanwhile, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State has ordered a thorough investigation into the incident to forestall future occurrence.
The governor also convened an emergency security meeting that had in attendance representatives of the Nigerian Army, the Commissioner of Police, Director of the Department of State Services, DSS, Chairman of Jama’atul Nasril-Islam, JNI, Kaduna State chapter.
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Similarly, the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has expressed sadness over the development.
Meanwhile, the Arewa Youth Consultatve Forum, AYCF, described the incident as a sad news and called for a thorough investigation on ‘this avoidable mistake.’
Meanwhile, the General Officer Commanding One Division Nigerian Army, Major-General V. Okoro, yesterday, briefed the Kaduna State Government that the Nigerian Army was on a routine mission against terrorists but inadvertently attacked affected members of the Kurmin Biri village in Kaduna State.
A resident in the affected community told journalists that when Muslims at Kurmin Biri were observing Maulud event at the Tudun Biri village in Igabi LGA of the state, a plane that hovered above the celebrants dropped a bomb which exploded and killed many.
According to him,”While we were picking the dead and trying to rush the injured to a nearby health facility, the plane returned and dropped a second bomb, causing further damage.”
Another local in the village said, “We were celebrating Maulud when the jet dropped the bomb, resulting in the immediate death of more than 50 people.”
