An airstrike intended to target an armed group in northwestern Nigeria accidentally killed at least 10 civilians, the country’s military said on Friday.
The attack took place on Christmas Day in the Silame area of Sokoto State. The Nigerian Air Force aimed at a logistics base used by the Lakurawa insurgent group, according to Nigerian defence spokesperson Edward Buba.
On Thursday, the Sokoto State government reported that the air force mistakenly hit the villagers in the early hours of Wednesday, while attempting to remove the insurgents. However, on Friday, Buba clarified that the insurgents had been directly hit, and the civilian deaths occurred due to “secondary explosions.”
The Lakurawa group entered Nigeria following coups in nearby countries, including Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso, which affected regional cooperation on security. The group initially gained local support by helping communities defend themselves against cattle rustlers. Later, they sought to impose strict interpretations of Islamic law across border areas.
Such airstrikes, which cause civilian casualties, have been recurring in Nigeria. Last year, 85 civilians died when an army drone mistakenly attacked a religious gathering in the northwest.
Security firm SBM Intelligence estimates that around 400 civilians have died in similar accidents since 2017.
In addition to the threats from the Lakurawa group, Nigeria continues to fight Boko Haram in the northeast. Boko Haram began its insurgency in 2009 to impose Sharia law and has split into several factions. The violence has killed over 35,000 people and displaced more than two million, contributing to a serious humanitarian crisis.
