The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has attributed the deaths of “about ten persons” in Sokoto to a secondary explosion following military airstrikes, dismissing claims that the fatalities resulted directly from the strikes.
The Sokoto State Government earlier reported that ten villagers were killed and others injured during the strikes in the Silame Local Government Area.
However, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, clarified during a briefing in Abuja on Friday that the casualties were caused by explosions from a terrorist logistics base targeted in the operation.
“One of the targets was a logistics base of the terrorists in the community, which housed arms caches and other materials. When the munitions hit, it caused a secondary explosion, generating debris that led to the reported deaths,” Buba explained.
He emphasized that the airstrikes directly targeted members of the Lakurawa terrorist group, who were killed during the operation.
“The people who were hit directly by the airstrikes were the Lakurawa terrorist group, and they were burned beyond recognition,” he said.
Buba stated that the strikes were carefully planned, involving human intelligence to confirm the targets before a synchronized operation between the Air Force and ground forces.
“The Air Force carried out precision strikes using precision munitions. Afterward, the land forces moved to the site and confirmed that the strikes had hit the intended targets – the terrorist group,” he added.
While confirming the operation’s success against the terrorists, Buba did not disclose the exact number of casualties, a detail that continues to stir public debate.
Meanwhile, the victims of the explosion have been buried in accordance with Islamic rites.
