The Nigerian Military must review its operational strategies going forward, to put an end to the mistake of incessant bombings and killing of innocent citizens that happen now and then.
On Sunday, an air strike intended to flush out terrorists had accidentally hit civilians during a Maulud Nabiy celebration at Tudun Biri in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, killing over 120 persons, according to latest figures.
In 2017, the Nigerian Airforce had accidentally bombed a camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) at Rann, the headquarters of Kala Balge local government area of Borno State killing at least 200 inhabitants.
It was gathered that the jet circled the camp for a while before dropping several bombs that killed the occupants.
Unfortunately, not one airforce official was arrested over the development.
Again in April 2019, a military air raid hit Tangaram village in Anka Community of Zamfara State, during an offensive against armed groups in the region, killing many civilians.
Less than 4 years after, the Kaduna incident reminds Nigerians of how unprofessional the country’s military is and how unsafe they are anywhere in the country, a social critic, Chima Christian said.
Reacting to the development in an exclusive interview with TNC, Mr Christian regretted that the incident has been a recurring decimal, bemoaning the utterances of the Army Chief of Staff during his visit to the victims’ funeral.
“The most worrisome of this latest development for me, are the comments of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, on National Television, where he said Nigerians should be grateful to the Military for being able to go to bed with their two eyes closed.
“This for me is the height of irresponsibility and insensitivity and Nigerians demand an apology and resignation of all who played a part in the unfortunate incident.
“We appreciate the efforts of the Military in combating insecurity insecurity but what Nigerians are asking for is professionalism and due diligence in the conduct of the security operatives.
“Without this, the implication is that anybody can be in their homes and gets bombed by the same security operatives engaged to protect their lives,” he said.
Mr Christian insisted that if bombs and other weapons of mass destruction are no longer safe in the hands of the military, then the citizens are as good as dead.
He called on the National Assembly to summon the service chiefs over the development, warning against any form of reluctance on the part of any of the relevant authorities, who should call the military to order over the ugly incident.
“You see, when things like this happen, people don’t pay attention because they think it doesn’t concern them.
“Our senators and politicians feel indifferent because usually, these things happen in the rural communities.
“But imagine one day, the National Assembly is sitting and all of a sudden, bombs drop on the complex, circles back and drops again and the Military says oh no, it was an accident.
“Why is it that nobody is asking the questions how the Nigerian Military has so degraded that we are hearing these kinds of stories and nobody takes responsibility?.
“The Nigerian military is sustained with the taxpayers money. Check the annual budgets and see the huge amounts of money voted for the military. Yes, although people may argue that it is not enough, what are they doing with the one budgeted?
“If these kinds of things happen, people should take responsibility,” the critic insisted.
He maintained that the call for the resignation of the military hierarchy is not to witch-hunt anybody, but to ensure that people handed responsibilities deliver them with utmost sense of responsibility and commitment.
According to him, these mistakes have become far to frequent and no one knows the next mistake they are going to make and how devastating it will be.
Christian invited Nigerians not sweep the matter under the carpet but to insist that the people responsible resign as a way of reassuring that the military is for Nigerians not against them.
