Killing civilians will not stop war against terrorists, says Defence Minister on Kaduna bombings

Bello Matawalle, Minister of State for Defence, has declared that the unintended killing of numerous people by the Nigerian Army in an airstrike in Agabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State will not deter the battle against insurgency and terrorism.

The minister made the pledge while visiting airstrike victims on Wednesday.

Matawalle led a high-level delegation to the state, together with the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Ibrahim Kana, to express the Federal Government’s condolences to the victims.

Mr Henshaw Ogubike, the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, made the announcement in an Abuja statement on Wednesday.

The minister, while condemning the incident, stressed that the fight against insurgency and terrorism would continue.

He further stated that the horrible incident will not deter the administration from combating terrorism.

“We are not going to relent in our fight against terrorism because these criminals must be defeated. We are going to continue fighting the criminals till we succeed against banditry and other criminalities in this country.”

Matawalle, who was also present at the Barau Dikko Teaching Hospital in Kaduna, where the injured victims were being treated, revealed that the visit was on the command of President Bola Tinubu.

He informed the Kaduna State Government that the Federal Government will support the victims’ families.

He went on to say that the government would organize an inquiry panel to look into the circumstances surrounding the occurrence and prevent it from happening again.

Governor Uba Sani, represented by Deputy Governor Dr Hadiza Balarabe, extended heartfelt sympathies to the devastated families and assured victims’ relatives of his assistance.