‘Unfortunate’ Kaduna air strike not deliberate – CDS

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has described the air strike on Tudun Biri village in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State as unfortunate and not a deliberate action targeted against the people which the Army is to protect.

General Musa in his remarks at the graduation ceremony of participants at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru in Plateau State emphasised that the incident was a mix up which was avoidable.

Eighty five persons were confirmed dead in the strike and scores were injured in the most recent military mishap.

“The incident in Kaduna is very unfortunate, I have always wanted to mention it, it’s very sad, it shouldn’t have taken place. It was a mistake and it’s because those in charge had a report something was going to happen and they got carried away and then they reacted, it wasn’t on purpose.

“My fear is when we discourage our troops; next time even when the real ones come, they will not want to act because they will say if we do and it’s a mistake, we won’t do anything. So I think we should try and look at this thing dispassionately when incidences occur.

“Nobody in his right minds will wake up and look at people and just burn them without reason, we are all Nigerians, we are meant to protect Nigerians and that is what we are doing. In the course of it we might make mistakes because we are humans but it will never be deliberate.

“So I want to appeal to all of us to firstly pray for Nigeria, pray for our leaders, stand strong, believe in this country, it’s a great and wonderful country we have and we must not let it down,” CDS Musa said.

Ninety seven participants of senior executive course 45 at the Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies had their graduation ceremony on Saturday after a ten month intensive research work.

The participants had their research work on Industrialisation, Energy Security and Climate Change: Issues, Challenges and Prospects, with findings and recommendations presented to the president, leading to the approval for the graduation of participants.

In his address which was presented by the Minister of Transport, Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali, President Bola Tinubu commended the research work with assurances that the recommendations will be implemented appropriately.

Preceding the graduation ceremony was the distinguished annual lecture delivered by a professor of criminology and sociology of law at the University of Jos, Professor Etannibi Alemika, who explored security challenges and security governance in Nigeria; identifying economic and political decisions as bases of insecurity.

The senior executive course of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies is a ten month research, training and reflections on national topical issues affecting the nation.