By Badamasi Bello, Jadetimes Contributor
B. Bello is a Jadetimes news reporter covering African News
The Governor of Sokoto State, Ahmed Aliyu, has expressed deep concern over the killing of civilians during a military operation targeting terrorists in Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa villages of Silame Local Government Area. About 10 persons were said to have been killed in the operation that happened on Christmas Day during airstrikes targeted at neutralizing terrorist threats within the region.
Aliyu has, in a statement, said that he reached out to the leadership of the Nigerian Army for proper investigation into the sad incident. He then called for support from the state government to the affected families and further called for measures that can prevent the reoccurrence of such incidents.
Defence Headquarters Clarifies Incident
Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters explained in detail what happened. Speaking with journalists in Abuja, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj-Gen. Edward Buba, said civilian casualties were a result of secondary explosion during the airstrike.
The airstrike was a precision-guided operation to neutralize a terrorist logistics base, Buba said. He explained that the secondary explosion, caused by the detonation of materials like hand cartridges and explosives housed at the terrorists' base, led to the casualties.
Buba added that extensive intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations were conducted prior to the strike to confirm terrorist activities in the area. The operation was delayed to minimize civilian casualties.
"This operation commenced with intelligence, surveillance missions to confirm terrorist activities in the area. The results of the intelligence and surveillance were confirmed by human intelligence sources. Subsequently, the air operation was executed with precision munitions for neutralization," he said.
Buba stated that destruction of terrorist infrastructure and neutralization of a few combatants were subsequently confirmed by ground forces, adding that survivors from the terrorist group fled in disarray.
Advocacy Group Demands Independent Probe
In response to the incident, the Northern Star Initiative-a northern advocacy group-has joined in condemning the bombing as a tragic mistake. The Group's Director-General, Dr. Abdullahi Idris, decried in a statement issued in Kaduna the loss of innocent lives and called for an independent investigation into the incident.
What exists are conflicting accounts from villagers, state officials and the military, but what cannot be denied is that there had been innocent civilians who were killed in the airstrike," Idris said, calling for a high-powered investigative committee by the federal government to establish the truth.
He further alluded to a similar incident that occurred last year in Tudun Biri, Kaduna State, when civilians were bombed in celebration of Eid-el-Maulud. He described the "errors" as unacceptable and demanded that something be done immediately to avoid such tragedies.
"What is required is an independent investigation into this dastardly act, followed by the punishment of the culprits and adequate compensation for the families of the victims," he added.
Call for Accountability and Reforms
The incident contributed to the wider debate on the behavior of military operations in civilian areas. While the military insisted that the action was based on credible intelligence aimed at dismantling terrorist networks, the advocacy groups and local leaders called for more caution in order to avoid harming civilians.
While investigations by relevant agencies continue, Governor Aliyu and other stakeholders have called for increased collaboration between military authorities and local communities to avert such tragedies, while all eyes are on the federal government to ensure justice is served and such unfortunate incidents do not recur.
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