Many villagers were reportedly killed and several others injured when fighter jets targeting the Lakurawa terror sect accidentally bombed two communities in the Silame local government area of Sokoto State.
The affected communities, according to a source in the community, are Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa. The incident occurred around 7 am on Christmas Day (Wednesday).
Malam Yahya, a source from Silame, noted that the two villages were located close to Surame forest, identified as another hideout of Lakurawa and bandits. He reported that no fewer than 10 villagers were killed, with several others sustaining various degrees of injuries during the airstrike.
Confirming the attack, the chairman of the Silame local government area, Alhaji Abubakar Muhammad Daftarana, said his team was still assessing the level of damage caused by the airstrike. “The villagers were sitting peacefully when the bombs started dropping on the communities. They were innocent and peace-loving people who had no criminal record. It is too early to confirm the number of people either killed or injured because we are still assessing the development,” he said.
When contacted, the spokesman of the Sokoto State Police Command, ASP Ahmad Rufa’i, declined to comment on the matter, saying it was not their operation. Efforts to speak with the spokesman of the Air Force in the state were not successful as his number was not reachable at the time of this report.
Meanwhile, social media users in the state have condemned the development, describing it as heartless and condemnable. They appealed to the security agents to be more professional in their dealings while urging the state government to urgently intervene in the incident to ensure those injured receive adequate treatment.
