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The Armed Forces of Nigeria has pledged to hold personnel accountable for the accidental killing of 120 civilians on December 3rd in Tudun Biri, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Christopher Musa, gave the assurance during his median interactive session with the press in Abuja on Friday.
General Musa said that those found culpable after an independent investigation, ordered by President Bola Tinubu, will face disciplinary action.
He said the President has taken immediate action by ordering an independent investigation to determine the facts and ensure accountability.
He assured that those responsible will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.
His words, “Our mandate is to protect civilians, not to kill, maim or destroy.
“At that particular time, we were in the heat of pursuing some bandits within that general area and unfortunately this happened.
“I am happy the Commander-in-Chief has instituted a committee to look into the incident and advise on how to move forward and how to prevent a recurrence.
“Whatever happens, we shall identify the casualties and arrange for compensation.
“I assure all Nigerians that the Armed Forces of Nigeria is here for Nigerians and we want Nigerians to take ownership of the Armed Forces of Nigeria,’’ Gen. Musa assured.
He added that the military, as a disciplined service would not shield any officer found culpable in the incident.
“If they are found guilty they will definitely face punishment and I can assure you that we are going to be transparent about it.
“Members of the committee will not even be serving members of the armed forces so that we can have that fairness in the process.
“I am sure you know in Maiduguri we have jailed a lot of personnel and you can go and verify.”
Musa urged Nigerians to await the outcome of the investigation to be able to know exactly what happened, adding that the investigation would reveal a lot of facts about the area.
The military has pledged full cooperation with the investigation and emphasized its commitment to transparency and upholding civilian safety.
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