It was a tragic week in Nigeria following the devastating bomb attack that shook Tudun Biri village in Kaduna State, dominating the media space with news of the appalling incident.
Initially, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) denied involvement in the bombing, which resulted in the deaths of numerous villagers and worshippers.
However, Nigeria’s army chief, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, issued an apology during a visit to the village on Tuesday, acknowledging that the drone strike was carried out based on observations of tactics typically used by bandits. Regrettably, the strike had targeted innocent civilians, as disclosed by Lagbaja.
Over the years, approximately 400 civilians have lost their lives due to airstrikes aimed at armed groups within the country’s northern region, according to reports from the Lagos-based SBM Intelligence security firm. The frequency of miscalculated airstrikes has become a growing concern in Nigeria, drawing attention and criticism from various quarters, including Atiku Abubakar, the country’s former vice president and the primary opposition presidential candidate in the recent election.
The attack occurred on Sunday night in Tudun Biri village, situated in Kaduna state’s Igabi council area, precisely during a Muslim gathering to observe the Prophet Muhammad’s birthday celebration.
Kaduna Governor Uba Sani described the incident as a tragic mistake, with civilians inadvertently killed and numerous others injured due to a drone mistakenly targeting terrorists and bandits.
Kaduna Governor Uba Sani said civilians were “mistakenly killed and many others were wounded” by a drone “targeting terrorists and bandits”.
The National Emergency Management Agency said in a statement on Tuesday that “85 dead bodies have so far been buried while search is still ongoing”. But the Amnesty International’s Nigeria office said 120 people were killed in the attack, citing reports of its workers and volunteers in the area.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has ordered an investigation into a military drone strike that killed 85 civilians gathered for a religious celebration over the weekend, the latest in a series of errant strikes as the country fights armed groups in northern Nigeria.
In a statement released by spokesperson Ajuri Ngelale on Tuesday, Tinubu said that the “bombing mishap” was worrying and “painful”.
In the latest update, Senate leadership, Sunday, affirmed that the total of 109 senators have resolved to donate their one-month salaries to the people of Tudun Biri community.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio made this known during a condolence visit to Kaduna over the recent erroneous bombing attack at Tudun Biri.
COP 28: FG receives backlashes over high number of delegate-sponsored
The vast delegation representing Nigeria at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) has sparked significant reactions in a country grappling with substantial debt, inflation, and increasing poverty levels. This extensive delegation, comprising 1,411 Nigerian delegates in attendance at the summit in Dubai, prompted responses from various quarters within the nation.
Among those expressing concern was Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections. He urged President Bola Tinubu to focus on making Nigeria a global competitor in production rather than emphasizing the size of the delegation at international events.
While acknowledging that not all delegates were government-sponsored, Obi took to social media to comment on the irony of Nigeria matching China’s number of contingents at COP28. He highlighted the significant disparity in budgets between the two countries, noting China’s far larger budget compared to Nigeria’s, yet Nigeria sent an equivalent number of delegates to China.
Obi emphasized that despite China’s larger population, Nigeria grapples with a much higher proportion of its populace living in poverty, displaying a stark contrast in Human Development Index rankings between the two nations.
This observation underscores the challenging socioeconomic conditions faced by Nigerians compared to citizens of China, despite Nigeria’s considerably smaller budget allocation per capita for such international events.
Fake naira notes in circulation — CBN
The Central Bank of Nigeria warned the public about the presence of counterfeit naira notes currently in circulation, particularly amidst reports highlighting a shortage of currency in the country.
In a statement titled ‘Beware of Counterfeit Naira Banknotes in Circulation’ released on Friday, the apex bank urged Deposit Money Banks, Financial Houses, Bureau de Change, and citizens to exercise caution and implement necessary measures.
Additionally, the Central Bank assured the public of its collaboration with law enforcement agencies to apprehend those responsible for distributing counterfeit currency. The statement underscored the prevalence of counterfeit banknotes, particularly in higher denominations, being used in transactions across various commercial centres and food markets in major cities nationwide.
The statement, in part, said, “The attention of the Central Bank of Nigeria has been drawn to the circulation of counterfeit banknotes, significantly higher denominations, by some individuals for transactions in food markets and other commercial centres across major cities in the country.
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