Nigerian Government Delegation Visit Community Affected by Accidental Drone Strike

A delegation by the Nigerian government lead by the Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Matawalle, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Defence, Dr Ibrahim Abubakar kana, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja and other senior officials have visited the families of the victims of Tudun Biri community in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State. 

The delegation which arrived the location of the incident on Tuesday 5th December 2023, were received by the Deputy Chief Medical Director of the Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital in Kaduna, Dr Shuaibu Musa. Dr. Matawalle, Permanent Secretary, Dr Ibrahim Kana and the Chief of Defence Staff went through different wards in the hospital to commiserate with the injured.

While giving an update on the victims, Dr Shuaibu said 70 wounded persons were currently in Admission, out of the 71 persons brought to the hospital but one died the night before the visit.

He said most of the victims are in stable conditions, those that needed blood, were given transfusion, those that needed emergency surgery, it was carried out and many are now stable and are about to be discharged.

Speaking during the visit, Dr. Matawalle prayed for the repose of the dead victims and a quick recovery for those wounded in the accidental bombing. The Former Zamfara State Governor emphasized the need for a thorough investigation to determine the facts surrounding the incident while assuring the public that the findings would be transparently communicated. 

He equally reaffirmed the federal government's commitment to preventing future occurrences and appealed for cooperation, calm, and continued support for the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

He urged religious leaders to enlighten their followers, pointing out that the incident was an operational error deeply regretted by the Armed Forces of Nigeria, which remains unwavering in its mandate to secure every part of the country.

The state, Deputy Governor, Dr. Hadiza Sabuwa Balarabe expressed gratitude to President Tinubu for the prompt delegation visit. She highlighted the state government's continuous engagement with the affected community and religious leaders to maintain peace and mitigate tensions.

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said that terrorists were embedded with civilians in the wake of the accidental strike.