Sokoto Council Chairman Confirms US Airstrikes Hit Terrorists, Reveals Targeted Area

The Chairman of Tangaza Local Government Area in Sokoto State, Isa Salihu, has confirmed that a recent US airstrike targeted terrorist positions along the Nigeria-Niger border. He said the strike likely hit key insurgent routes and camps.

Salihu who spoke to Premium Times said that the operation focused on areas frequently used by militants entering from Niger. “That area serves as their main route when entering from the Niger Republic,” he said. “They frequent these zones and have established camps in the rocky and forested areas along the border.”

While the strike is believed to have targeted insurgents, Salihu emphasized that casualty figures are not yet confirmed. “We cannot yet confirm if targets were killed. Detailed security reports are awaited to assess the impact and verify whether there were any civilian casualties,” he added.

Residents of Tangaza and neighbouring Tambuwal LGAs reported explosions. In the Jabo community of Tambuwal, a video circulated online shows locals recovering debris from one of the blast sites. In Tangaza, the operation reportedly targeted locations associated with the Lakurawa terrorist group.

Tangaza’s border with Niger has long been a corridor for insurgent movements. Groups such as Lakurawa, originally composed of foreign herders from Sahelian countries, have evolved into armed factions that impose control over local communities.

A US military official told *The New York Times* that more than a dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles were launched from a Navy vessel in the Gulf of Guinea, striking two ISIS camps in Sokoto State. The operation was coordinated with the Nigerian military.

US Africa Command reported that preliminary assessments indicate multiple ISIS militants were killed. Nigeria’s foreign minister confirmed that President Bola Tinubu approved the strikes and shared intelligence with US forces to ensure operational accuracy.