The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has attributed the deaths of approximately ten individuals in Sokoto to what it described as a “secondary explosion” following military airstrikes.
Earlier, the Sokoto State Government reported that ten villagers were killed and others wounded in the Silame Local Government Area as a result of military strikes. However, Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, clarified that the deaths and injuries were caused by explosions triggered by the strikes, not the direct impact of the air raids.
“Let me explain what I mean by secondary explosions,” Buba said during a briefing at the DHQ in Abuja on Friday. “One of the targets was a terrorist logistics base in the community, which contained arms caches and explosive materials. When the munition hit these targets, it caused a secondary explosion, scattering debris and causing the fatalities. The ten reported deaths were not caused by direct hits from the airstrikes.”
Buba emphasized that the airstrikes successfully targeted the Lakurawa terrorist group. “The people killed in the airstrikes were terrorists, specifically from the Lakurawa group, and they were burned beyond recognition,” he stated.
He further explained that the military had confirmed the identity of the target through human intelligence. “We gathered intelligence confirming that the individuals at the location were indeed members of the Lakurawa terrorist group. This led to a joint operation involving the Air Force and ground forces. The Air Force conducted precision strikes using specialized munitions, and the ground forces later confirmed that the strikes hit their intended target.”
Buba did not provide an exact number of casualties from the strikes, which has sparked ongoing debate among Nigerians. Those killed in the airstrikes have since been buried in accordance with Islamic rites.
