Sheikh Gumi believes Kaduna village bombing was intentional

A popular Islamic cleric in Kaduna, Sheikh Ahmadu Gumi has maintained that the bombing of over 120 residents of Tudun Biri village in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State by the Nigerian Army was intentional

The military had on the night of Sunday, December 3, 2023, dropped bombs on the villagers while they were celebrating the birth of Prophet Muhammad known as Maulud.

Over 120 people died in the attack, while over 60 others were left injured.

Speaking about the incident, Gumi said the military bombed the villagers because they thought they were families of terrorists. 

The cleric, who spoke at his weekly lecture at the Sultan Bello Mosque in Kaduna said if the first bomb dropped on the villagers was a mistake, what of the second bomb that targeted those rescuing victims 30 minutes after the first attack?

Gumi said, “I kept telling you not to invite people who see war as a solution but people refused to listen. Here it’s now. War is never a joke because it affects everybody. I warned you on this but you keep saying they should be killed.

“It’s you that will be killed. That bomb was meant to target the families of some people so as to kill their children and wives. I have been to a village where women and children were massacred in a remote forest.

“Many people have been bombed. Nobody said anything until it came nearer to the city. I have been saying that whatever is between us, whether it is bandits or Boko Haram, there should be peaceful negotiation.”

Meanwhile, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured Nigerians that his government would get to the root of the bombardments of the village.