Troops fire church building in Kaduna by mistake

The Kaduna State Government has clarified that it was during operations against bandits in Chikun bushes that ammunitions aimed at the criminals partly damaged an Assemblies of God Church building in the state.

The church was located in Kabarasha Village in Chikun local government of the state.

“No civilian casualty was recorded in the incidence,’’ said the Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr Samuel Aruwan.

In a statement issued by the Commissioner on Sunday, he said that Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai has “directed the Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs to assess the situation and present a report so that the damage to the (Kaduna) church can be repaired.”

Kaduna State Government praised the Nigerian military for mounting successful operations against bandits in Chikun, Igabi, Giwa, and Birnin Gwari local government areas and other locations.

The government noted that the Air force operation which occurred on Thursday and Friday was successful.

The  Commissioner said that the operation “successfully neutralized many bandits in Chikun local government while working on other targets,’’ adding that the State Government has been briefed.

“During operations against bandits in a nearby location last Thursday, munitions aimed at the criminals partly damaged an Assemblies of God Church building in Kabarasha Village in Chikun local government. No civilian casualty was recorded in the incidence,” he noted.

The statement said that Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai has “directed the Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs to assess the situation and present a report so that the damage to the church can be repaired.”

“The Commissioner and his team are engaging critical stakeholders on the matter and will soon report progress to the Governor,’’ the statement added.

Aruwan noted that the overall success of the joint military operation  “will help boost the confidence of farmers to till their land and avert the peril of food insecurity and impoverishment of citizens that the impunity of the bandits may unleash.”

The statement maintained that combined military teams of Operation Thunder Strike, Operation Whirl Punch, and Nigerian Air Force’s Operation Gama Aiki, comprising units from the Nigerian Air Force and Nigerian Army, are presently carrying out joint operations against armed bandits in the state.  (Vanguard)