By Halima Sule, Abuja
Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Gwabin Musa, in what appears to be keeping his promise to appreciative Nigerians that the professional military under him will not lie but always come clean over operational matters.
Accordingly, the CDS has approved a preliminary probe report recommending two military personnel for court martial over acts of omission and commission in the mistaken army drone strikes that happened in Tudun Biri Community of Kaduna State on December 3, 2023 that claimed lives.
This is even as gallant troops upped their game in April in synchronised strikes between ground and air forces of the military eliminated 715 terrorists, arrested 146 and rescued 465 victims of kidnap terrorists in the just-ended April.
Director Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba who addressed defence correspondents at a regular bi-weekly briefing on Thursday at the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said that the CDS got a report of a probe panel he instituted into the unfortunate drone strikes in which preliminary findings indicated reasonable grounds for two military personnel to be court-martialed as a deterrent to others.
While disclosing that the investigation panel had concluded and submitted its report which, according to him, found that the strikes were on mistaken identity, the CDS approved a court martial in line with extant military regulations. But he declined to name the officers or any further details, saying that doing so would be prejudicial as the matter was still before the court martial.
He said that the report also identified two military officers (name withheld) allegedly responsible for the incident and that they would be court-martialed for their roles in the drone strikes.
‘’Nevertheless, it must be made clear that the incident was a mistake. The victims of the strike were mistaken for terrorists.
“However, on this note, on behalf of the CDS, officers and personnel of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, our condolences go out to the families and loved ones of all those killed by the air strike.
‘’It is hoped that there would be no repeat of strikes on non- combatants in ongoing operations. The military will take extra- precautions in the future to ensure that non-combatants are safe,” he said.
He said that the military would punish personnel found culpable in the Dec. 3 incident, adding that investigation was conducted and concluded with a resolve to ensure that the personnel involved were brought to book and justice served for the victims.
“The military has conducted a painstaking investigation into the incident and has initiated disciplinary action against those culpable.
“Accordingly, the affected personnel are to face a court martial for acts of omission or commission with respect to the incident.
“I am however constrained not to speak much about the incident as it would be adjudged as prejudicial being a case before court martial.
“The military will take extra precautions in the future to ensure that non combatants are safe,” he added.
Major General Edward Buba noted that it would be adjudged prejudicial to speak further on the case, since it is still before the court
It would be recalled that about 85 civilians were killed in the drone strikes which occurred in Tudun Biri village of Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj Gen Edward Buba also disclosed at the briefing that 465 kidnapped victims were rescued within the period under review.
He maintained that the elimination and arrest of the terrorists followed troops’ offensive operations during the month which ranged from aggressive ambushes, raids, fighting patrols and other covert operations conducted by troops in various theatres, among which are Operation Hadin Kai in the Northeast, Operations Safe Haven and Whirl Stroke in the North Central, Operations Hadarin Daji and Whirl Punch in the Northwest, Operation Delta Safe in the South South, and Operation Udo Ka in the Southeast.
During the period, troops engaged several terrorist leaders’ enclaves including that of notorious terrorist Nasanda and his loyalists in Zurmi LGA of Katsina State, while 3 senior terrorist commanders (Ali Dawud, Bakura Fallujah and Mallam Ari) were neutralized at Kolleram Village along Lake Chad.
Additionally, on 15 April 2024, the enclave of terrorist commander Babaru in Kankara LGA of Katsina State was destroyed, while on 19 April, 2024 the terrorist hideout belonging to a senior terrorist commander, Kamilu Buzaru’s, in Danmusa LGA of Katsina State was decimated.
On 20 April, 2024 the gathering of senior terrorist commander Ado Ailero and Kamilu Buzaru’s in Danmusa LGA of Katsina State was disrupted by air strikes while several terrorist combatants and their commanders were neutralized in the air strikes.
Other terrorist commanders’ enclaves engaged by air strikes included that of Mallam Yadee at Mariga LGA of Niger State and that of Abdullahi Nasanda and Mallam Tukur in Zurmi and Gusau LGAs of Zamfara State.
Also engaged was the camp of Mallam Umar and several other commanders located in the Alawa Forest area of Niger State, Furthermore is Bello Turji’s camp in Kagara Forest located between Shinkafi in Zamfara and Isa LGA in Sokoto.
Major General Edward Buba, while lowering his tone in the course of the briefing then bellowed:
“All the surviving terrorist Commanders and leaders are walking corpses as we would get them, sooner than later.
“Overall, the armed forces is building and maintaining the momentum against the terrorists and their cohorts across the country,” he said.
The Director emphasized that troops’ commitment to defeat the terrorist groups was non-negotiable as it would deny them the opportunity to terrorize or hurt citizens of this country.
“Tactically, whenever there is a clash between troops and terrorist on the ground, troops clearly win in the fire fight, though sadly in certain operations, casualties are sustained.
“However, each and every engagement ends with troops victory, with several dead or surrendered terrorist in every location,” Major General Edward Buba said.
In the South South, where troops maintained the momentum against the activities of crude oil theft, he said that nine violent extremists were arrested while 164 perpetrators of crude oil theft were arrested.
Consequently 2,563,335 litres of crude oil, 254,620 litres of AGO, 1,050 litres of DPK and 8,000 litres of PMS, all amounting to a total sum of
N2, 572,397,190.00 worth of crude oil denied the oil thieves.
Furthermore, troops recovered 56 assorted weapons and destroyed 74 wooden boats, 1,501 assorted ammunitions and 76 illegal refining sites.
Troops of Operation UDO KA in the southeast neutralized arrested 8 violent extremists and recovered 3 AK47 rifles, 2 pump action guns, 152 rounds of 7.62mm special ammo, 550 live cartridges and one vehicle amongst others. All recovered items, arrested suspects and rescued hostages were handed over to the relevant authority for further action.
The DMO spokesman affirmed that ongoing operations had suppressed the terrorists preventing them from achieving their strategic objectives. Troops have equally denied the terrorists freedom of action and disrupted their activities, thereby reducing their effectiveness.
“Nevertheless, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done to rid the environment of terrorists and the military is not resting on its oars”, he said.
