One Bomb Too Many

No fewer than 15 villagers were feared dead and several others injured on Wednesday when a fighter jet targeting the Lakurawa terrorist group mistakenly bombed two communities in Silame Local Government Area (LGA) of Sokoto State.

Reacting to the incident, the Chairman of Silame LGA, Alhaji Abubakar Muhammad Daftarana, said: “The villagers were sitting peacefully when the bombs started dropping on the communities. They were innocent and peace-loving people who had no criminal record.”

But in a swift reaction, the Joint Task Force (JTF), North West Operation Fansan Yamma has declared that the targets struck in the vicinity of Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa communities the Zamfara State during operation against Lakurawa terrorists “have been positively identified as associated with the Lakurawa group, reinforcing the justification for the military action taken”.

The JTF warned that the populace should be aware of misinformation and disinformation campaigns by terrorist groups and their collaborators.

A statement by the spokesman of the JTF, Lt. Col Abdullahi Abubakar, said, “The Joint Task Force, North West, Operation Fasan Yamma, has addressed recent reports concerning a military fighter jet allegedly bombing civilian structures in the Silame Local Government Area of Sokoto State

“These reports have raised concerns; however, it is crucial to clarify that all military operations are conducted based on thorough intelligence and reconnaissance missions,” the statement said.

Since the war against insecurity started, the military has continued to bomb those that they are supposed to protect.

Whether the terrorists use the villagers as human shields or the NAF pilots are just incompetent has remained in the realm of speculation because the military never allowed Nigerians to know the outcomes of their investigations into previous incidents.

 It may not be possible for the military to battle terrorists in any part of the world without the military personnel themselves or innocent civilians becoming victims of ‘friendly fire.’

But the periodic bombing of innocent villagers by the Nigerian military is unacceptable.

Since the military is under the control of the civilian government in a democracy, political leaders should force their leaders to put their house in order and stop the periodic massacre of innocent civilians.