President Bola Tinubu has described the military drone attack on Tundun Biri in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Northwest Nigeria as a wish of God.
Tinubu said this on Monday while offering his condolences to the bereaved families during his visit to Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
“Our purpose is to condole the entire country through the Army on the loss of lives in Kaduna. It’s tragic. But as people of faith, and as people who believe in his country. And importantly, faith, led through Mawlid al-Nabi… We must state therefore as a tragic event decided by God, otherwise, it won’t happen,” President Tinubu said.
SaharaReporters had reported how scores of Muslims from the community were killed by a military drone attack.
Nura MC Khan, who claimed to be a resident of the community was among those who first confirmed the incident on his Instagram page.
He wrote: “IN OUR VILLAGE (TUDUN BIRl) LOCATED IN IGABI LGA BEHIND KADUNAAIRPORl. THE PEOPLE OF THE VILLAGE ARE ATTENDING THE MAULUD OF THE PROPHET SAW. THEN A PLANE CAME DOWN THE BOMBERS WHERE MANY PEOPLE DIED UNTIL NOW THE NUMBER OF THE PEOPLE WHO DIED ls UNKNOWN. GOD BLESS THEM AND FORGIVE THEM AND MAKE OUR FUTURE PARADISE.”
Reporting the President’s visit to Maiduguri in a statement, the Special Adviser to the President on Media And Publicity, Chief Ajuri Ngelale further quoted Tinubu as saying: “They were Nigerians of profound faith and in the moment of the tragedy, they were reciting the Shadada. God Almighty comforts their families as their nation grieves their passage into glory. May their souls rest in eternal peace.”
The statement said, “Speaking at the palace of the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Al-Amin El-Kanemi, the President pledged that the Federal Government will continue to do all within its powers to provide support and care to the families of all Nigerians affected by the remnants of insecurity in parts of Borno State.”
“This is my most sacred responsibility and the trajectory of the larger effort shown by the ratio of victory over defeat has been sliding well in our favour since the new administration has resumed office. We are not satisfied yet. We are not satisfied until we reach the end of insecurity in Nigeria,” the President declared.
He noted that the President declared that under his watch, security issues would remain a top priority, but not limited only to battlefield concerns.
“We will provide better amenities and benefits to our gallant armed forces and their families. We are committed to this and this is factored into the 2024 budget. We will ensure that our administration reflects the grateful heart of the Nigerian people in the way we treat those who make the ultimate sacrifices on our behalf,” the President affirmed.
“Under President Tinubu’s leadership, the Office of the National Security Adviser has worked diligently to connect all branches of the nation’s security architecture by closely coordinating missions and enhancing inter-agency intelligence sharing at all levels. Borno State Governor, Prof. Babagana Zulum acknowledged the steady improvement in collaboration between the security agencies and the Borno State Government.
“We have seen the close working relationship between our state and the security agencies. The results are speaking for themselves. We remain committed to the achievement of the Renewed Hope Agenda in the fight against insecurity anywhere it exists in Nigeria. We thank you for your leadership, Mr. President. We will continue to give all required support to the Nigerian Armed Forces,” Governor Babagana Zulum said.
“On his part, the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Al-Amin El-Kanemi urged the President to deliver his infrastructural interventions to areas that have been hard hit by insurgency over the years.
“We seek the revival of the Lake Chad Commission to provide succour to the large communities in the Lake Chad’s surrounding areas. We seek power projects and job creation initiatives for our unemployed youths. Governor Zulum has been performing beyond what is humanly possible but his resources are limited. Please assist him,” the Shehu of Borno stated.
“Commending the Shehu of Borno for supporting the government of Borno State and the Federal Government in maintaining peace and stability in the region, President Tinubu promised to enhance the active involvement of traditional institutions in ensuring stability at the grassroots level across the country.”