A military airstrike targeting Lakurawa terrorists in Sokoto State mistakenly struck the villages of Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa in Silame Local Government Area on Wednesday morning, resulting in the deaths of 10 civilians and injuries to several others. The 7 a.m. operation also caused significant damage to homes and livestock, according to local residents and community leaders.

Sokoto State Governor Ahmed Aliyu visited the affected communities, offered condolences, and pledged an investigation into the incident. Speaking after attending the funeral prayers for the victims, the governor described the event as an unintentional tragedy. “This was not deliberate. We must accept it as Muslims,” he said, announcing N20 million in financial assistance and 100 bags of grains for the victims’ families.

Military authorities defended the airstrike, stating it was conducted based on intelligence indicating the presence of Lakurawa terrorists in the area. Lt. Col. Abubakar Abdullahi of Operation Fansan Yamma called for accurate information to combat misinformation and reaffirmed the military’s commitment to precision in its operations.

This incident adds to a troubling pattern of accidental airstrikes in northern Nigeria, which have claimed over 450 civilian lives in the past decade. Among the most notable cases are a September 2024 strike in Kaduna that killed 23 civilians and a December 2023 incident during a Maulud celebration in the same state that left over 100 people dead.

The rising civilian toll from military operations has reignited debates about the balance between counterterrorism efforts and the protection of civilians. Critics argue that more stringent measures are needed to safeguard non-combatants while targeting terrorists in Nigeria’s conflict-affected regions.