Sokoto State Governor Ahmad Aliyu has urged victims of the Nigerian military’s accidental bombing on December 25 to accept the tragedy as part of their fate.
The airstrike, intended to target militants near the Surame desert, mistakenly struck the villages of Rumtuwa and Gidan Sama in the Silame local government area, killing 10 people, injuring six others, and decimating approximately 100 animals, including camels, cows, and donkeys.
Describing the incident as an unfortunate error, Governor Aliyu reassured the grieving community during the victims’ burial that the bombing was unintentional.
“Have you heard the news that some people have entered this country, and this isn’t the first time the soldiers have attacked them? They attacked the first time, the second time, and the third time, and each time, they were successful. So, this is considered destiny, and as Muslims, it’s good for us to accept destiny, whether it’s good or bad,” the governor said in Hausa, as reported by the BBC.
Governor Aliyu promised to work with relevant authorities to investigate the incident and prevent future occurrences.
He also provided immediate relief to the affected families, including 100 bags of food and 20 million naira in aid.
“We will work with all relevant authorities to ensure that an investigation is carried out to determine the cause of the incident and to consider the appropriate course of action to prevent it from happening again,” the governor said.
Silame local government chairman Abubakar Muhammad confirmed that both air and ground forces participated in the attack.
“The air force entered the area with heavy tanks,” Muhammad said. “They called me this morning and told me bombs had dropped, and I investigated and confirmed that it had happened.”
Muhammad, who joined the governor in burying the victims, described the military’s actions as relentless. “This is a relentless attack,” he said, noting that the strikes continued until the state government intervened.
The villages lie near the Surame desert, a known hideout for the newly emerging Lakurawa militant group, further complicating the region’s security challenges.
