Tragedy struck in Tudun Biri village, Kaduna State on December 3, 2023, when a military drone, intended for a group of bandits, hit unarmed civilians and killed scores of residents. That day will no doubt be a painful memory for the villagers.

Last Thursday, a visit to the village which is has Christianity and Islam as the most dominant religions in the area, in order to gauge the mood in the village and ascertain the preparation of Christians for the Christmas celebration which is held annually on December 25, 2023 showed that it is not business as usual though worshippers of both faiths have coexisted for centuries.

A prince in one of the villages, Ifira, who doubles as a cyclist, said that “Muslims and Christians in the community live as brothers, we don’t quarrel and we relate as one.”

Ifira further said that: “God has uplifted this community from the calamity that befell it. Important people from all walks of life now troop to see the village. The calamity has brought good things to the community.”

Aside from the slight delay at the motor park, the one-hour drive into the village came with ease. During the trip, it was observed that the road that led to the village, which was hitherto, in bad shape, was undergoing rehabilitation.

While wondering if the Pulaku Initiative, a non-kinetic solution aimed at addressing challenges in Kaduna and other North West states had begun, questions were asked.

While refraining from mentioning his name, the site engineer disclosed that the Kaduna State governor, Uba Sani, mandated that the road leading to Tudun Biri should be made accessible to both inhabitants of the village and visitors who continue to troop into the village on a daily basis.

“As you can see, work is in progress and moving fast. We would have finished but we met two swampy areas that slowed down our work,” the engineer said.

It was gathered that the governor was in the village last week to comfort them over the unfortunate incident.

The governor was also quoted to have assured the community of the state government’s readiness and the Federal Government’s resolve to provide social amenities to the community.

On getting to the village, it was discovered that a makeshift clinic would soon be constructed in the troubled village. Officials of the state’s primary health agency under the leadership of Dr Bello Jamoh were on the ground to inform the people that the governor had ordered the immediate construction of a makeshift clinic for villagers.

Explaining the rationale behind the quick intervention, Dr Jamoh told Sunday Tribune that the intention was in line with the principles and practice of primary health care delivery.

He said there are usually silent victims who may have inhaled harmful substances from the blast zone and may present symptoms later.

The head of the agency maintained that the clinic, when in place, will give villagers the chance to come up and register their symptoms.

“We are going to screen them and the sick among them will be treated accordingly,” he added.

After the interface with the health personnel, a visit was paid to the Christian community in order to know their preparations for Christmas. It should be noted that Tudun Biri village is divided into two. The first area is occupied by the Christians who are mostly made up of the Gbagi-speaking people of Kaduna, while the other side is occupied by the Muslims.

The village head and the pastor are the two most senior citizens in the village. Since the drone attack, the duo has been working together like Siamese twins.

People seen in the village were asked about preparation for Christmas.

“Why are you asking us this question when you know what happened to us?” one of them later asked. After they were assured that it was a harmless question that tends to ascertain the mood in the village, a 22-year-old father, Jethro Yahaya, said: “We will be going to the church to pray for our loved one, but we are not going to celebrate the festival (Christmas).”

He listed some of his folks killed in the attack to include Margareth Victor, Christiana Moses and Kazayi Solomon, adding that their memories will ever remain green in our minds.

When asked how the residents celebrated Christmas in the village last year, Yahaya noted that many turned out in new clothes and appealing hairdos while in the evening, “we will make bonfires and drink local gin.”

“Christmas was usually celebrated with a lot of fanfare. Muslims from the surrounding villages usually come to celebrate with us. Every household in the village will cook rice, fry meat, eat chicken, ram, cow and share it with our Muslim brothers,” he said while noting that Muslims and Christians have fully coexisted in the village for many years.

Speaking in the same vein, Reverend Musa Saidu who has been in charge of the Baptist church in Tudun Biri and Nagarta church in the neighbouring Kwazaro village, urged the authorities to deploy security personnel in order to ensure the safety of residents of the area.

While noting that this would be the first time residents of the area would not celebrate Christmas, he urged the government to provide food items to church members and residents of the village.

Speaking in Hausa, Saidu said: “I am appealing to the Federal Government to come to our aid. My people are still in a state of fear. We want the deployment of security personnel in the area to allow us to observe some religious rituals on Christmas Eve as well as to worship on Christmas Day.”

Saidu, who has been in charge of the church for the past fourteen years, added: “We don’t have the money to buy rice, meat, groundnut oil or red oil. We don’t even have money to buy chicken. We have not bought anything. We don’t have ways or means to buy clothes. If the government could assist my people, we will be glad.” (Nigerian Tribune)

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