ACF: Promises Made to Tudun-Biri Community Must Be Redeemed Quickly

John Shiklam in Kaduna

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has stated that all promises made to the Tudun Biri community in Kaduna State, especially the victims of the drone attack, should be fulfilled without delay.

ACF, in a statement issued yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Prof. Tukur Muhammad-Baba, explained that strong measures should be put in place to ensure that reliefs get directly to the victims, adding that corrupt elements must not be allowed to divert any relief materials meant for the victims.
The statement read in parts: “ACF wishes to express satisfaction with the response of the federal, Kaduna, and other state governments, organisations, and the general public to the plight of victims of the December 7, 2023, bomb attack on Tudun Biri community, Kaduna State.”

“Particularly commendable has been the various visits by various delegations of the federal government, including the vice president, relevant members of National Assembly committees, the National Security Advisor (NSA), Ministers of Defence, governors under the aegis of the Northern Governors’ Forum, the Chief of Army Staff, and other key or notable public functionaries to the Tudun Biri community to condole families of the deceased and to commiserate with injured victims receiving treatment in hospitals across Kaduna metropolis.”

“Equally commendable was the promise of compensation, free treatment to the injured by the Kaduna State Government, and other actual or promises of donations by many in cash and kind to victims. It has really been a day-after of sorts for the Tudun Biri community. Moving on, ACF will welcome further steps as follows:

“All promises made to the Tudun Biri community and especially victims of the attack should be fulfilled in the shortest time possible. Strong measures to be put in place to ensure that relief gets directly to the victims.”

“Corrupt, unscrupulous, or unsympathetic elements must not be allowed to corner or divert any relief materials meant for the victims, as is often the case in the aftermath of disasters. No one should be allowed to benefit from the misery of Tudun Biri and other bomb blast victims. ACF will, through its Kaduna State chapter, closely monitor and comment on the matter as may become necessary from time to time.”

“In line with today’s highly challenging economic conditions and to cushion same, the people of Tudun Biri community must immediately receive relief material from relevant public agencies and well-intentioned organisations and individuals. ACF also reiterates that attention be given to victims of past such incidents elsewhere. It is never too late to provide succour to the needy.”

“Even as it falls below the standard of an independent organ that ACF had called for, we welcome the setting up of a panel to investigate the tragedy. Hopefully, the investigations will be thorough, fast-tracked, and with vigour as indeed promised by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; and… without prejudice to the outcome of the investigations, measures should be taken by the armed forces to avert all such incidents as happened at Tudun Biri and other places before it.

“ACF reiterates its uncompromising support for the federal and state governments, and the Armed Forces specifically, in the fight against terrorism and banditry in Nigeria. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”