An airstrike in two Sokoto communities, Gidan Bisa and Runtuwa, has left 10 civilians dead, sparking conflicting accounts between local authorities and the military.

The incident, which occurred at 6 a.m. on Wednesday, saw bombs dropped by military jets reportedly pursuing bandits in Silame Local Government Area.

The council chairman, Hon. Abubakar Gitta Rana, disclosed that the airstrike also killed livestock, describing it as an “erroneous” attack on innocent villagers.

Also, the Chairman of Silame Local Government Area, Abubakar Mohammed Daftarana, identified the affected villages as Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa.

He said the fighter jets were reportedly targeting Lakurawa terrorists, adding that the team was working to assess the level of damage and casualties emanating from the airstrike.

The Sokoto State Government confirmed the incident in a statement on Wednesday.

The Press Secretary to the Sokoto State Governor, Abubakar Bawa, said visited the two communities that were bombed by the military fighter jets.

The governor sympathised with the community and described the incident as unfortunate.

“The military jets were on their mission to eliminate criminals armed groups terrorizing the state, and mistakenly bombed innocent people of this community,” he said.

“We consider this as a mistake because the same military had on several occasions successfully raided so many criminal hideouts in the state.”

Aliyu stated that a thorough investigation would be conducted to find out what led to the avoidable mistake, so as to guard against its recurrence.

He also rayed to Almighty Allah to forgive the deceased and give their families the strength to bear the loss.

Secretary to the State Government, Muhammad Bello Sifawa, in the statement also announced a donation of ₦20 million and 100 bags of assorted foodstuffs to the families of the deceased.

He added that the state government would settle the medical bills of those hospitalised as a result of injuries they sustained from the bombardment.

Shortly after, the military authorities issued a statement on the incident.

The spokesman for Operation Fansan Yamma, Lieutenant Colonel Abubakar Abdullahi, however, did not confirm if military jets struck the communities.

He admitted that there is a significant risk that Lakurawa and other terrorist groups “may attempt to undermine military successes through media disinformation, necessitating caution concerning unverified claims, especially in the ongoing fight against terrorism and banditry.”


“The Joint Task Force North West Operation Fansan Yamma has addressed recent reports concerning a military fighter jet allegedly bombing civilian structures in the Silame Local Government Area of Sokoto State,” he said.

“These reports have raised concerns; however, it is crucial to clarify that all military operations are conducted based on thorough intelligence and reconnaissance missions. This rigorous process is particularly important when targeting groups like the Lakurawa terrorist organisation, as it aims to ensure precision and protect civilian lives.

“Given the serious nature of these operations, the public is urged to rely on confirmed information to prevent misinformation and unnecessary panic.

“Importantly, the targets struck in the vicinity of Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa have been positively identified as associated with the Lakurawa group, reinforcing the justification for the military action taken.”