The Anglican Archbishop of Wusasa Diocese, His Grace, Most Reverend Dr. Buba Ali Lamido, has cautioned against politicizing the inadvertent bombing of Tudun Biri village in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State by the Nigeria Air Force.

Archbishop Lamido expressed worry over at attempts by some religious groups to mischievously paint the Tudun Biri village bombing as targeted at Muslims, insisting that the Nigeria Armed Forces could not attack a particular area because of their religion or ethnic background.

He noted that the heavy losses occasioned by the bombing were difficult to bear but said that some Northern politicians should not hide under the incident to foment trouble.

“I appeal to my fellow religious leaders and especially politicians from the North who with an eye on 2027 general elections are politicizing what is clearly an innocent mistake.

The Nigerian Armed Forces is a truly national institution that will never target a particular area for attack because of their religious or ethnic background. The day that happens, it will be the end of our dear country,” the Archbishop said.

The Bishop, in a statement made available to News Express on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, said he was unhappy that what was an accident is being termed as an agenda targeted at Muslims and advised against actions or utterances that may demoralise the armed forces in the efforts to smoke out the terroriststhreatening to overrun the North. According to him, the war against terrorists was far from being over.

Expressing deep grief over the accidental bombing which claimed over 85lives, and left scores injured, the Anglican Bishop said: “For the avoidance of doubt, Muslims and Christians were killed in the attack which the Nigerian Army has claimed responsibilityand duly apologized for. We Northerners must be careful not demoralize the armed forces in the renewed war against the terrorists because the war is far from being over. We know for a fact that ‘war is a human endeavor, and mistakes inevitably will occur.’”

He recalled that in 2017, a similar incident happened in Borno State. “We are aware of the 2017 multiple bombing of the Rann IDP camp in Borno State by the Nigerian Air Force which killed over 250 people and we didn’t witness this same hysteria that we are witnessing today. I don’t want to conclude that the deafening silence then had to do with the fact that the President and Service Chiefs were all Muslims?

“Every life is precious. The death of Christians, Muslims and even of none adherents of both faith, is without doubt, painful. But when the outrage is targeted at the President, because he is from the South or Service Chiefs, because of their tribe and faith, we have a duty to condemn these narratives which clearly have nothing to do with the sad loss,” the Bishop said.

He maintained that “the lives of the poor must not only be important when we can use them to further our political agenda,” and prayed for the repose of those who lost their lives.