Sokoto Airstrikes: Unintended Deaths Caused By Explosions – Military

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Nigerian Military has blamed the death of some locals in the Sokoto airstrikes targeting insurgents on what it called  “Secondary explosion.”

The Source reports that multiple airstrikes targeted at the Lukarawas terrorists enclaves, on Wednesday, December 25, 2024 ,claimed the lives of about  ten  local residents in Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa villages in Silame Local Government Area of Sokoto state.

Witnesses also said that several locals were injured by the multiple airstrikes carried out by the Nigeria Airforce NAF.

The death of the  villagers has since sparked controversy ,with the Military high command promising to investigate the alleged mistake in the airstrikes.

At a media briefing on Friday, December 27, 2024, the Director of Defence Information,

Edward Buba, a Major General,  stated that the unintended deaths and spate of injuries that trailed the airstrikes were as a result of explosions, emanating from the striking of an armoury of the terrorists.

According to him, the hitting of the logistics depot, had led to the explosions of the weapons and other armed caches and poles that were kept in the terrorists armoury

” Now, I spoke about secondary explosions, because one of the targets of the strikes was a logistics base of the terrorists in the community.

“When I talk about logistics base, I am talking about armed caches and poles that were kept there.

“So naturally, when the munition hits, there will be a secondary explosion arising from that which will in turn generate other things flying in the air which was what led to the death of about 10 persons that was reported.

“The ten persons were not hit directly by the airstrikes. The people who were hit directly by the airstrikes were the Lukarawas terrorists group and they were burnt beyond recognition “, Buba stated .

The Defence spokesman insisted that the airstrikes were precise and decisive, as the military has been able to confirm.

“To make sure that those that we saw at the location were indeed terrorists, that is the Lukarawas ,we sent human intelligence to confirm and they reported back to us, confirming that they were indeed terrorists.

It was after confirming that we carried out the operation, a combined synchronized operation with the Air Force and ground troops.

“The Air Force carried out precision strikes using precision munitions. After the strikes, the land component moved in.

“The ground troops equally confirmed that, yes, the strikes hit the objects, and that is that”, Buba noted.

However, the military’s position on the unfortunate incident, may not be able to persuade not a few ,who still believe that the tragedy resulted from miscalculations.