At least 10 civilians were tragically killed and several others injured when a Nigerian military fighter jet, targeting bandits, mistakenly bombed two villages in the northwestern state of Sokoto on Wednesday.
Governor Ahmed Aliyu confirmed the incident, stating that the military jets were on a mission to eliminate armed criminal groups operating in the region. However, the airstrikes inadvertently struck innocent civilians in the villages of Gidan Sama and Rintuwa.
The military acknowledged the airstrikes in the vicinity of the targeted villages, stating they were aimed at the Lakurawa group, a newly emerged insurgent group operating in the region.
The deadly incident occurred around 5:00 AM GMT, causing widespread shock and grief among the affected communities.
Northwest Nigeria faces significant security challenges, with widespread insecurity plaguing the region. Additionally, the country grapples with a 15-year Islamist insurgency in the northeast and ongoing violence from criminal gangs and separatist groups in the southeast.
