A military airstrike in Sokoto, resulted in the deaths of 10 civilians and injured many others.
The incident occurred in the Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa communities in Silame Local Government Area, with residents reporting that the airstrike was intended to target Lakurawa terrorists in the area.
Sokoto Governor, Ahmed Aliyu visited the affected communities, condoling with the victims’ families and promising to set up a committee to investigate the incident.
The governor acknowledged that the airstrike was not deliberate but rather a mistake during the military’s operation against terrorists.
“I visited the families of the victims…I am devastated,” the governor said in Hausa.
“It wasn’t a deliberate act by the security operatives. They were actually targeting the invading terrorists. They succeeded in neutralising them during the first and the second attempts of the operation. It was the third operation that went awry.
“And as Muslims, we should accept what happened in good faith. I participated in the funeral prayers for the deceased; may their souls rest in peace,” the governor was reportedly quoted by Daily Trust.
The military, through its Joint Media Coordination Centre, stated that the airstrike was conducted based on thorough intelligence and reconnaissance missions.
The military claimed that those killed in the airstrike had links with the Lakurawa terrorist organisation.
This incident has raised concerns about the safety of civilians in conflict zones and the need for precise military operations to avoid collateral damage.
The Sokoto State Government and the military have been urged to take measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
Data on Civilian Casualties in Military Operations
According to reports, this incident brings the total number of Nigerians killed in accidental aircraft or drone bombings in the North over the last 10 years to 450. Previous incidents include a military airstrike in Kaduna that killed at least 23 people in September 2024.
