Kehinde Fajobi
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has attributed the deaths of “about ten persons” in Sokoto to a “secondary explosion” caused by military strikes targeting a terrorist logistics base in Silame Local Government Area.
Speaking on Friday in Abuja, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, clarified that the deaths were not the result of direct air strikes.
“Now, I spoke about secondary explosions. Because one of the targets was a logistic base of the terrorists in the community. When I talk of a logistics base, I’m talking of armed caches and poles that were kept there,” Buba explained.
“So, naturally, when the munition hits, there will be a secondary explosion arising from that which will generate other things flying in the air which was what led to the death of about 10 persons that was reported.
“The 10 persons reported were not hit directly by the air strikes.
“The people who were hit directly by the air strikes were the Lakurawa terrorist groups, and they were burned beyond recognition.”
Buba emphasised that the operation successfully hit its intended target, the Lakurawa terrorist group.
“To make sure that those that we saw at that location were indeed terrorists – the Lakurawa terrorist group.
“And we did that by sending human intelligence to confirm and they got back to us and confirmed, and it was thereafter that we carried out a joint operation, a combined synchronized operation with the Air Force and ground forces,” he said.
“Air Force carried out precision strikes using precision munitions. After the strikes, the land component on the ground moved on the site, and what did they confirm? They confirmed that ‘Yes, the strikes hit the objective.’ That is that.”
He did not, however, disclose the exact number of casualties from the strikes, which have sparked significant reactions.
The affected villagers have since been buried according to Islamic rites.