A military fighter jet on Wednesday mistakenly bombed two communities in Silame Local Government Area, Sokoto State, killing at least 10 villagers and injuring several others.
The Sokoto State Government confirmed the incident, with Governor Ahmad Aliyu expressing sympathy during his visit to Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa, the affected communities.
Sokoto described the bombing as an unfortunate error, Aliyu explained that the jets were targeting the Lakurawa terrorist group but mistakenly hit innocent civilians.
“This is an unfortunate mistake, as the same military has previously achieved successful raids against criminal elements in the state,” the governor stated. He assured residents of a thorough investigation to prevent future occurrences and prayed for the deceased and their families.
Silame Local Government Chairman Abubakar Mohammed Daftarana noted that damage assessment was ongoing and that it was too early to determine the exact number of casualties.
In response, Lieutenant Colonel Abubakar Abdullahi, spokesperson for Operation Fansan Yamma, refrained from confirming the bombing but defended the military’s actions, citing intelligence-based operations.
He warned against misinformation, emphasizing the risks posed by disinformation campaigns by groups like Lakurawa.
The tragedy has raised fresh concerns about civilian safety during military operations, with calls for improved measures to minimize such errors in the fight against terrorism and banditry.