Matawalle Pays a visit to the unfortunate victims of the horrific bombing in Kaduna

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had instructed the honourable minister of state for defence, His Excellency Bello Mohammed Matawalle, to investigate the mistaken bombing of Muslim worshippers in Kaduna. Matawalle visited the scene of the explosion, assessed the unfortunate damage, and expressed condolences to the families of the victims as well as the government of Kaduna State.

The senior military officers and ministry directors were in attendance with the Honourable Minister.

The Honourable Minister wept and prayed for the souls of those who perished in the explosion. He also assured the families of the victims that the Ministry would pay for all of the survivors’ medical expenses, saying, “The Ministry is ready to fly out those that are having life-threatening injuries abroad for further medical attention.”

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was shocked and traumatized by the news, and in order to prevent the feature accuracy, he has instructed the Ministry to assemble a team of experts to come up with immediate effect the cause of the incident’s source and location, according to the Honourable Minister Bello Mohammed Matawalle. Finally, he prayed for the souls of the deceased and condole with the families as the he ensured them that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is doing everything within his capacity to ensure the families of the deceased are well taken care of and task the security agencies to gathered intelligence before reacting to any Nation threat.

Don’t Politicize Kaduna Inadvertently Bombing; Coalition warns mischief makers.

The Coalition of Civil Society Groups Against Terrorism in Nigeria, has called for caution and halt to the perceived politicization of the unfortunate incident at Tudun Biri Community in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State during the Army’s aerial bombardment of perceived terrorists which inadvertently led to the bombing of some innocent civilians.

The group in a statement on Wednesday, November 6th, 2023 signed by its Convener, Comrade Oladimeji Odeyemi and the Secretary General, Barrister John Atani attested to the fact that the Nigerian Army under the current Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lieutenant General Taoreed Lagbaja, is a professional entity, apolitical and skillful and couldn’t have bombed innocent civilians intentionally. The group advised individuals and political groups who intend to use this tragedy to score cheap political points to desist from such as it’s tantamount to unwarranted wickedness that would cause chaos and tension in the society .

Accordingly, the group advised Nigerians to await the conclusion of the investigation by security agencies. It would be recalled that the Director, Army Public Relations in a statement said the Chief of Army Staff, has paid a condolence visit to the Tudun Biri Community, where he regretted the unfortunate mishap, describing it as a very disheartening occurrence. It was also noted that the area and most adjoining communities were infested with armed bandits, who terrorised the communities, until the troop of the Nigerian Army started conducting operations to sanitize the area to make it habitable

While he pointed it out, that the troops were carrying out aerial patrols, when they observed a group of people and wrongly analysed and misinterpreted their pattern of activities to be similar to that of the bandits, before the drone strike.

While, commiserating with the government and the people of Kaduna State, especially the people of Tudun Biri on this unfortunate incident. The coalition appreciated the Chief of Army Staff, General Lagbaja for personally leading a team of the leadership of the Nigerian Army to identify with the people of the community at this trying moment, and more importantly the COAS also disclosed that he has order a thorough inquiry into the incident to ascertain and identify areas of deficiency that led to the inadvertent disaster, adding that the findings and overarching outcome of the investigation will guide the Nigerian Army in meticulously and professionally seeking and applying lasting solutions to identified lapses and deficiencies in both the human and artificial intelligence variables that will forestall future recurrence.

The Coalition further call on the leadership of the Nigerian Army not to leave any stone unturned to unravel what really happened with a view to forestalling a repeat of such an unfortunate incident.

The Coalition also sent their heartfelt condolences to the people and government of Kaduna State, especially the families of these who lost loved ones in Tudun Biri community.

Kwara herbalist, accomplice Remanded over rape, arson

A Kwara State Magistrate Court sitting in Ilorin has ordered the remand of an Ibadan-based herbalist, Sultan Ojuwoni, also known as Atakoro, and one Olaitan Ibrahim Olalekan at the Federal Correctional Service Centre, Oke-Kura, Ilorin till January 17, 2024.

The state Police Command arraigned Atakoro and Olalekan before the court for the alleged rape and arson of a 21-year-old girl identified as Firdaus Jimoh.

According to the Police First Information Report, Atakoro allegedly serially raped and set ablaze the 21-year-old Jimoh in his shrine, in Ibadan, Oyo State, conniving with Olalekan and one Omowumi and her children who are currently at large.

The suspects were arraigned on offences of criminal conspiracy, unlawful trial by ordeal, rape, causing grievous bodily hurt by dangerous means and attempt to commit culpable homicide, contrary to Sections 97, 214, 283 and 229 of the Penal Code Law.”

Magistrate Kolawole Aluko who also did not take the plea of the suspects when the FIR was read to them, said the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the offences for which they were charged.

He, however, listened to the submissions of the prosecution and counsel for the second defendant after which he ordered the remand of the suspects and adjourned the case till January 17, 2024, for mention.

The magistrate said the offenses for which the suspects were charged were not ordinarily bailable.