Military Under Fire: DHQ Releases New Statement On Sokoto Airstrike Incident

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) on Friday clarified that the recent airstrikes in Sokoto State, which reportedly resulted in several deaths, were caused by “secondary explosions.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The Sokoto State government had previously alleged that ten villagers were killed and others injured in airstrikes carried out in the Silame Local Government Area.

In a statement, Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, refuted the claims, explaining that the casualties and injuries were not a direct result of the airstrikes but rather secondary explosions triggered by the operation.

On Thursday, Chief of Defence Staff General Christopher Musa emphasized that the military targeted only terrorists and criminals during the operation. He stated that anyone found in the vicinity of the terrorists during the airstrike could be considered an accomplice.

The incident involved a fighter jet bombing two communities in Silame, reportedly killing at least ten civilians and injuring several others. While the Sokoto State government maintained that innocent villagers were among the casualties, the military asserted that the operation specifically targeted criminals.

General Musa, speaking during a briefing at the Giginya Cantonment in Sokoto, reaffirmed the military’s intent to combat terrorism but assured that an investigation would be conducted to address concerns raised by the incident.