The leadership of the Nigerian Senate has donated N109 million to the victims of the accidental airstrike in Tudun Biri village, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Deputy Senate President Barau Jibrin announced the donation on Sunday when he led other principal officers and senators on a condolence visit to the Kaduna State governor, Uba Sani, at the Government House in Kaduna.
He said the donation, being the December salary of the senators, should be used for the welfare of the victims.
At least 85 persons were confirmed dead and scores injured in a military airstrike that occurred on December 3, 2023.
The airstrike happened when villagers from Tudun Biri gathered that evening for a Muslim religious festival.
While sympathizing with the Kaduna State government and people of Tudun Biri community over the tragic incident, the Deputy Senate President, who represented the Senate President Godswill Akpabio, said the National Assembly would work in partnership with the Presidency to unravel the circumstances surrounding the accidental bombing of innocent civilians in order to avert a recurrence.
Governor Sani thanked the senators for their show of empathy for the victims of the military airstrike and called on the National Assembly to support the Federal Government in probing the bomb incident.
He also appealed to the federal legislators to review the agitation for the creation of state police, saying this would strengthen security management in the country.
This is even as a group, Concerned Northern Lawyers Forum, on Saturday threatened to institute a legal action against the Federal Government over the mishap.
The group said the decision to sue the Federal Government was to demand payment of adequate compensation for the victims of the military drone attack.
Speaking at a news conference in Kaduna, a spokesman for the group, Nafi’u Abubakar, countered the Nigerian Army’s claim that the attack was a mistake, insisting that the operation was deliberately planned against the innocent civilians of Tudun Biri community.
Abubakar urged the Federal Government to immediately commence a thorough independent investigation into the bombing incident with a view to getting to the root of the matter.
He also asked the Nigerian Army to reevaluate its rules of engagement and training procedures to prevent the loss of innocent lives during its operations.
