At Least 10 Killed in Nigerian Military Airstrike Targeting Bandits, Civilians Bombed by Mistake
Military Strikes Aimed at Criminal Groups Result in Civilian Casualties in Sokoto
- At least 10 people have been killed and several others injured in Nigeria
- Aliyu confirmed that the state would cooperate with relevant authorities to investigate the military operation
- Nigeria's northwest region has been plagued by widespread insecurity
At least 10 people were killed and several others injured when a Nigerian military fighter jet, targeting bandits, mistakenly bombed civilians in the northwestern state of Sokoto on Wednesday, according to Governor Ahmed Aliyu.
“The military jets were on a mission to eliminate criminal armed groups terrorizing the state but tragically bombed innocent civilians in this community,” Governor Aliyu said in a statement.
Aliyu confirmed that the state would cooperate with relevant authorities to investigate the military operation that led to the deaths in the villages of Gidan Sama and Rintuwa, located in the Surame local government area.
The Nigerian military later confirmed it had struck targets near Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa, which were believed to be associated with the Lakurawa group, but did not provide any specifics regarding the civilian casualties.
Last month, the military had issued a warning about the Lakurawa group, a new insurgent group reportedly infiltrating Nigeria’s northwest region from neighboring Niger and Mali.
The deadly airstrike occurred at around 0500 GMT when two military jets dropped bombs on the villages, according to the local government chairman.
Nigeria’s northwest region has been plagued by widespread insecurity, exacerbated by a 15-year Islamist insurgency in the northeast and increasing gang and separatist violence in the southeast.
