A fighter jet mistakenly bombed two communities in the Silame Local Government Area of Sokoto State, on Wednesday, leaving at least 10 villagers dead and several others injured.
The Sokoto State Government confirmed the incident in a statement, with Press Secretary to the Governor, Abubakar Bawa, visiting the affected areas.
In his remarks, the governor expressed his condolences, calling the incident “unfortunate.” He explained that the military jets were targeting armed criminal groups terrorizing the state but mistakenly bombed the innocent villagers.
“The military jets were on a mission to eliminate armed groups terrorizing the state and mistakenly bombed the community,” Governor Aliyu said, emphasizing that such incidents were rare, given the military’s previous successful operations in the region.
He assured that a thorough investigation would be conducted to prevent similar mistakes in the future and prayed for the deceased while offering condolences to their families.
Silame Local Government Chairman, Abubakar Mohammed Daftarana, identified the affected villages as Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa. He noted that the jets were reportedly targeting Lakurawa terrorists, but the full scale of the casualties and damage is still being assessed.
Efforts to reach the police for confirmation of the incident were unsuccessful, as the Sokoto State Police spokesperson’s phone was not connected.
The military later issued a statement on the incident, with Operation Fansan Yamma’s spokesperson, Lieutenant Colonel Abubakar Abdullahi, acknowledging the reports but not confirming the bombing. He stressed that all military operations are based on thorough intelligence and reconnaissance.
Abdullahi added that while the military targets have been identified as linked to the Lakurawa group, caution is urged to avoid spreading misinformation, especially in ongoing counter-terrorism efforts.
“The public is urged to rely on confirmed information to prevent unnecessary panic,” Abdullahi said.
