The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has defended the military airstrikes targeting members of the Lakurawa terrorist group in Sokoto, stating that there were no errors in the operation.
A fighter jet had bombed two communities in the Silame Local Government Area of Sokoto, resulting in the deaths of at least 10 people and injuries to several others. The Sokoto State Government claimed that the victims were innocent villagers caught in the crossfire.
However, during his visit to the state the day after the incident, General Musa addressed journalists at the Giginya Cantonment in Sokoto, affirming that those killed were criminals involved with the terrorist group. He acknowledged the controversy surrounding the airstrikes but emphasized that an investigation would be conducted.
Musa urged the public to avoid harboring criminals, saying, “We have individuals that still harbor those people, and once you do that, you make yourself a target.” He appealed for the local community’s cooperation in preventing terrorists from finding shelter in their areas.
The CDS also clarified that the operation was carried out with great care to avoid mistakes, but promised that any errors would be investigated thoroughly. “From what we have seen, there were criminals in that place. Anybody that toyed with them was part of them,” he stated.
Despite the criticism and media scrutiny, General Musa assured that the military would not be deterred in its efforts to combat criminal elements and would continue operations while striving to minimize civilian harm. He also cautioned the media against inadvertently amplifying the terrorists’ messages, urging journalists to be cautious in their reporting.
