At least 10 killed after Nigerian military jet targeting bandits

27/12/2024 6:08

At least 10 people were killed

and several wounded when a Nigerian military fighter jet

pursuing bandits in two villages mistakenly bombed civilians in

the northwestern state of Sokoto on Wednesday, the state

governor Ahmed Aliyu said.



"The military jets were on their mission to eliminate

criminal armed groups terrorizing the state, and mistakenly

bombed innocent people of this community," Aliyu said in a

statement.



Aliyu added that the state will collaborate with other

authorities to investigate the military operation that killed

people in the villages of Gidan Sama and Rintuwa in the Surame

local government area.



The military late on Wednesday said it had struck targets in

the vicinity of Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa identified as associated

with the Lakurawa group, but did not provide any details on

civilians affected.



Last month, the military warned of a new insurgent group,

Lakurawas, infiltrating the country's northwest region from

neighbouring Niger and Mali.



Wednesday's deadly air assault occurred at around 0500 GMT

after two military jets dropped bombs in the villages, the local

government chairman said.



There is widespread insecurity in northwest Nigeria, while a

15-year Islamist insurgency has plagued the northeast of the

country and gang and separatist violence affects the southeast.