Hours after the tragedy that hit a community in Silame Local Government Area (LGA), Sokoto State, when a warplane targeted the Lakurawa insurgents, a lady who was a victim has narrated how her family members fell victim to the attack, alleging that they were burnt to death in an inferno that ensued during the attack.
Speaking to the BBC Hausa service, in an emotionally laden voice, the lady, who craved anonymity, said prayers were already offered to the dead, who were so close to her.
According to the BBC Hausa reports on Thursday, the lady was in deep fear and crying as if her life would end.
โThen she burst into tears again while the community tried to calm her down on the terrible tragedy that befell her on Tuesday morning. A warplane attack, suspected to be of the Nigerian military, killed 10 people and injured six others in some villages in Silame Local Government in Sokoto State, in the North-west of Nigeria,โ the BBC wrote.
Among those who died were the ladyโs father, mother, and her four younger siblings. The funeral of the 10 people was held on Wednesday evening.
According to the BBC Hausa report, one of the recent attacks by the army, which has not yet healed the wounds it caused in the hearts of Nigerians, was the attack by a drone of the Nigerian Army on worshippers in the corner of Tudun Biri, Kaduna State.
The authorities in Kaduna State have confirmed the death of 85 people in the attack on those celebrating the Maulud on December 3, 2023.
Then, the attack by the Nigerian Air Force, which said its plane accidentally hit Buhariโs village in Yunusari in Yobe State, in the northeast of Nigeria, in September 2021.
Witnesses said the airstrike killed at least 10 people, in addition to dozens more injured, including women and children.
In January 2017, the Nigerian Army confirmed an attack on a Boko Haram refugee camp in Rann town, Borno State, in the northeast of the country.
While prayers were offered to the dead, despite efforts made by those around her to calm her, the best the lady could say to the BBC Hausa was, โI saw them burning, my mother, my father, and my three younger brothers.โ
One of the residents of the village, who spoke to the BBC, Usman Manuga, said the incident happened after the Fajr (early morning) prayer on Wednesday.
He said, โAfter we prayed, we came out, I went to greet my parents, and I heard them saying there are planes, there are planes. I came out and saw them with my own eyes. I was here when one of them hit us.โ
In addition to the 10 people who died and those who were injured, there were about 100 animals estimated to have been killed during the attack. Among the animals killed were camels, cattle, sheep, and donkeys.
The governor of Sokoto State, Ahmad Aliyu, who attended the funeral of the people who died in the attack, said that the attack was a mistake.
He added, โThis situation was destined to happen. These officials did it by mistake, and they did it to protect this community. You have heard that there are some people who came to this country, and this is not the first time that they (soldiers) have attacked them successfully. So this is like destiny, and as Muslims, it is good to accept destiny, good or otherwise.
โWe will cooperate with all the authorities concerned to see that the cause of the incident is investigated and the actions to be taken to prevent this from happening again.โ
The governor stated that he has delivered about 100 bags of food and about N20 million to the affected people.
The local government chairman, Abubakar Muhammad, said in an interview, โSince the morning I was called and told that bombs were dropped, I checked and confirmed that this happened.โ
He said that he and the governor, Ahmad Aliyu, were among those who buried the people who lost their lives during the attack. He said that โtwo warplanes dropped bombsโ on the villages, allegedly.
โIt is a place called Gidan Bisa and Runtuwa, which are in my constituency. The attacks are relentless,โ Abubakar said, adding that the soldiers did not stop until the state government intervened.
โThe Air Force and the ground forces carried out the attack. The Air Force entered the area with heavy tanks.โ He said that in addition to 10 people who died, there were also six people who were injured.
The villages are close to the Surame desert, which is seen as the hideout of Lakurawa fighters that have occupied that part of Sokoto State in recent times.
This is the ninth such attack in Nigeria.
This is not the first time that the Nigerian army has carried out such an attack, which they say is a mistake against civilians, the BBC Hausa service report stressed.
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