Following the tragic accidental airstrike by the Nigerian Army, which led to the deaths of over 100 locals in Tudun Biri, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State, and left many others injured, the villagers have sued the Federal Government and demanded N33 billion in compensation.
The tragic incident happened on Sunday night when the villagers gathered for the Maulud celebration.
In a suit that was filed on December 8, 2023, before a Federal High Court in Kaduna by Alhaji Dalhatu Salihu on behalf of Tudun Biri villagers through their counsel, Mukhtar Usman Esq, the villagers demanded a compensation of N33 billion from the Federal government.
The villagers also prayed to the court to order the federal government to tender a public apology to them, which would be published in at least three national dailies.
According to them, the suit filed is to primarily enforce the fundamental rights to the life of the survivors of the incident.
They further prayed the court to declare that the killing of innocent civilians who gathered for the Islamic celebration on the 3rd of December violates their fundamental rights to life as enshrined in “Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, and Article 10(1) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification Enforcement) Act (Cap 10) LFN 2010, and hence ultra vires the respondents, illegal, unlawful, and unconstitutional.”
News About Nigeria learnt that no date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
Recall that the Nigerian Army accidentally bombed the villagers of Tudun Biri community in Kaduna State who converged to celebrate Maulud on Sunday, December 3, 2023.
Confirming the attack, the General Officer Commanding 1 Division Nigerian Army and Force Commander Operation Whirl Punch, Maj Gen VU Okoro, admitted that the Nigerian Army was on a routine mission against terrorists when the incident happened.
Following the Nigerian Army’s revelation of its involvement in the accidental airstrike, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu ordered an investigation into the massacre and warned that it must never happen again.
