The recent airstrike that led to the death of about ten persons on Sokoto, is still whipping up reactions.
While many Nigerians continue the search for who, or what to blame these deaths on, the Nigerian Military, who stands firms at the center of this controversy says it knows the actual cause of the deaths.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has attributed that deaths to what it termed a “secondary explosion” following military strikes in the area.
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About ten villagers were killed and several others injured in military operations in Silame Local Government Area.
This tragic incident which occurred as a mistake from the country’s military sparked heavy outrage leaving the military as well as the FG under the wrath of Nigerians.
However, Major General Edward Buba, the Director of Defence Media Operations, clarified that the fatalities and injuries were not caused directly by the strikes but resulted from secondary explosions.
Secondary Explosions
“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,” he explained during a briefing at the DHQ in Abuja on Friday.
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“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.”
The Confirmation
Buba confirmed that the operation successfully targeted the terrorist group in the area.
“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 stated.
“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.”
