A tragic airstrike in Sokoto State’s Silame Local Government Area has left a community in mourning, with a survivor sharing the heart-wrenching story of losing her entire family in the flames.
Speaking with BBC Hausa, the survivor, who chose to remain unnamed, described how her parents and four younger siblings were killed in the airstrike. Through tears, she recounted, “I saw them burning—my mother, my father, and my three younger brothers.”
The incident, which occurred on Tuesday morning, involved an airstrike allegedly carried out by a Nigerian military warplane. It was reportedly targeting insurgents but ended up claiming the lives of at least 10 civilians.
Additionally, six people sustained injuries, and over 100 animals, including cattle, camels, and sheep, were killed.
Local resident Usman Manuga explained the suddenness of the attack. “After the Fajr (early morning) prayer, we noticed planes flying overhead. Moments later, bombs were dropped, and everything went up in flames,” he said.
Governor Ahmad Aliyu of Sokoto State called the incident an “unfortunate mistake” and promised a thorough investigation. He announced emergency relief measures, including ₦20 million in funds and 100 bags of food for affected families.
Abubakar Muhammad, Chairman of Silame Local Government, revealed that two warplanes struck the villages of Gidan Bisa and Runtuwa near the Surame desert, an area thought to harbor insurgents. “The attacks were relentless, and only the state government’s intervention stopped them,” he stated.
This tragedy is not an isolated incident; it is the ninth recorded accidental military airstrike on civilians in Nigeria in recent years. Among others, a drone strike in Kaduna State in December 2023 killed 85 worshippers, while a 2017 strike on a refugee camp in Rann, Borno State, resulted in significant civilian deaths.
