There is growing disquiet in the Nigerian Army and Nigeria Air Force, following the recent bombing of innocent citizens of Tudun Biri in Kaduna State.
Credible sources told Daily Trust that the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) was disappointed with the Army for dispatching its unmanned drone that led to the ill-fated operation.
The Nigerian Army had since admitted responsibility for the bombing while explaining that the airstrikes were inadvertent and the operatives were targeting terrorists.
Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoheed Lagbaja, had also visited the scene of the incident to commiserate with the district head, clerics and relatives of the victims, where he supported the victims with relief materials including cash reward of N10m.
However, days after the sad incident, findings reveal that NAF troops attached to different Air Component units of operational theatres across the country are grumbling over the incident.
One of the sources told Daily Trust that “the Nigerian Army’s attempt to include air operations in their activities in theatres depicts lack of trust.”
A NAF officer argued that air operations required a lot of technical know-how and intelligence gathering before someone could think of striking enemies.
He said, “Those who define roles for each of the services are not daft. The most important thing is for us to work together. Honestly, I don’t think Army officers should delve into air operations.”
In September 2023, the Nigerian Army announced the operationalisation of its aviation unit with the procurement of 12 attack helicopters as approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
General Lagbaja, who spoke at the opening of the maiden Nigerian Army Aviation Seminar in Abuja, said the 12 MD 530F Cayuse attack helicopters would operationalise the Nigerian Army aviation unit, which was set up to improve ground troops’ agility, responsiveness, and efficacy during operations.
According to him, acquiring the helicopter would also contribute to the overall operational success of joint and coalition troops.
In the heat of the Kaduna Tudun Biri massacre when all fingers were pointing to the NAF as the perpetrator without anyone owning up responsibility, the Nigeria Air Force quickly came out to dissociate itself from the incident, insisting that its officers had not carried out any air operations in the last 48 hours in Kaduna State.
In a statement issued on Monday by its Spokesperson, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, the NAF berated those attributing the incident to its organisation, noting that it was not the only organisation operating combat armed drones in the North Western region of the country.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has budgeted N2,555,713,396 to operationalise its revived aviation unit in the 2024 budget estimate submitted by President Tinubu to the National Assembly.
The Army also budgeted a total of N850m for the establishment of its Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) (drone) Command.
However, in an interview with Arise TV on Tuesday night, Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, said there was nothing unusual for the Army to have an aviation unit.
According to the CDS: “The Navy has helicopters, ships and Special Forces; the Air Force has fixed wings, helicopters and Special Forces; the Army has Special Forces, land forces, amphibious forces and helicopters, including drones.
“We operate jointly and everybody has a role to play. The Army Aviation has been established while the Air Force has its own. The pilots are well trained and well prepared for the operations. I just want to remind individuals that it is war we are fighting here and as human beings, we all make mistakes and this is one of them. It was not deliberate.”
With additional reports from Daily Trust