Sokoto Tragedy: Fighter Jet Mistakenly Bombs Villages, Many Feared Dead

A fighter jet has mistakenly bombed two villages in Silame Local Government Area of Sokoto State on Wednesday morning, resulting in the deaths of several villagers and leaving others hospitalized.

The airstrike, intended to target Lakurawa jihadists hiding in the Surame Forest, instead struck the villages of Gidan Bisa, Gitta Rana, and Runtuwa. Eyewitnesses report that the villagers were peacefully gathered outside their homes when the bombs fell.

Yahaya Mohammed Silame, a former information officer in Silame Local Government, revealed that Gitta Rana, one of the affected communities, is home to the current chairman of the local government. He estimated that at least 10 people were killed, though many fear the death toll may be higher.

Victims suffering from shrapnel wounds are currently receiving medical treatment in local hospitals. The chairman of Silame Local Government, Abubakar Mohammed Daftarana, said his council is still assessing the extent of the damage caused by the airstrike.

Surame Forest, near the bombed areas, is believed to be a stronghold for the jihadist group known as Lakurawa. The group has been a target of military operations aimed at curbing insecurity in the region.

Efforts to contact the Sokoto State Police Command for confirmation of the incident were unsuccessful.

Governor Ahmed, along with members of the state executive council and party leaders, visited the affected communities to offer condolences to the victims’ families. He called for increased precision in military operations to prevent harm to innocent civilians and reiterated the need for professionalism among pilots conducting airstrikes.