A survivor of the recent tragic airstrike in Silame Local Government Area of Sokoto State has shared a chilling account of watching her family perish in the flames.
The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, spoke to BBC Hausa, describing the horrifying moment when she saw her father, mother, and four younger siblings consumed by the inferno caused by the attack.
Through tearful words, she recounted, “I saw them burning, my mother, my father, and my three younger brothers.”
The airstrike, reportedly launched by a Nigerian military warplane, took place on Tuesday morning and was aimed at suspected insurgents.
However, the attack tragically resulted in the deaths of 10 civilians, with six others left injured, alongside the loss of around 100 animals, including camels, cattle, sheep, and donkeys.
Usman Manuga, a local resident, described the events leading up to the devastation: “After the Fajr (early morning) prayer, we saw planes flying overhead. Shortly after, bombs dropped, and everything went up in flames.”
During the victims’ funeral on Wednesday evening, Sokoto State Governor Ahmad Aliyu expressed sorrow over the incident, calling it an unfortunate mistake.
He explained, “This situation was destined to happen. The officials acted with the intention of protecting the community. We will ensure a thorough investigation is conducted to prevent such incidents in the future.”
To support the grieving families, the governor announced 100 bags of food supplies and ₦20 million in relief funds.
Abubakar Muhammad, Chairman of Silame Local Government, confirmed the attack and revealed that two warplanes were involved, targeting the villages of Gidan Bisa and Runtuwa.
He noted that the assault was intense and only ended after the intervention of the state government, which coordinated with both the Air Force and ground forces to halt the operation.
The villages affected by the attack are situated near the Surame desert, which is believed to be a stronghold for Lakurawa insurgents.
This tragedy marks the ninth incident of accidental military airstrikes on civilians in Nigeria in recent years, following other such tragedies, including the December 3, 2023 drone strike in Kaduna that killed 85 worshippers and the January 2017 military strike on a refugee camp in Borno State.
Governor Aliyu assured the community that a full investigation is underway to prevent further incidents like this.
The survivor, along with other affected residents, is left to mourn the devastating loss of their loved ones while hoping for better safeguards to protect civilians during military operations.
