At least 10 people were killed and several others injured after a fighter jet mistakenly bombed two communities in the Silame Local Government Area of Sokoto State on Wednesday.
The Sokoto State Government confirmed the incident, describing it as a tragic error. According to the Press Secretary to the Governor, Abubakar Bawa, the communities of Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa were struck during a military operation targeting terrorist groups in the area.
Governor Ahmad Aliyu visited the affected communities to sympathize with the residents, calling the incident “unfortunate” and expressing condolences to the victims’ families. “The military jets were on a mission to eliminate criminal groups terrorizing the state and mistakenly bombed innocent villagers,” the governor said.
Aliyu assured the public that a thorough investigation would be conducted to determine the cause of the error and prevent future occurrences. He prayed for the deceased and urged the families to remain strong in the face of the tragedy.
Abubakar Mohammed Daftarana, Chairman of Silame Local Government Area, identified the intended target of the operation as members of the Lakurawa terrorist group. He added that efforts were underway to assess the full extent of casualties and damages caused by the airstrike.
However, confirming the exact number of deaths and injuries remains challenging, as assessments are ongoing. Attempts to reach the Sokoto State Police Command for comments were unsuccessful, as the spokesman’s contact was unreachable.
The military authorities later issued a statement addressing the incident. Lieutenant Colonel Abubakar Abdullahi, spokesman for Operation Fansan Yamma, neither confirmed nor denied that military jets struck the civilian communities.
He emphasized the complexity of the ongoing military operations and warned against unverified reports. “All military operations are based on thorough intelligence and reconnaissance to ensure precision and safeguard civilian lives,” Abdullahi stated.
He added that the targets hit near Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa were positively identified as associated with the Lakurawa terrorist group, reaffirming the justification for the operation. Abdullahi also highlighted the risk of media disinformation by terrorist groups attempting to undermine military successes.
