In the aftermath of a devastating airstrike on Christmas Day that killed at least 10 people in the Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa communities of Sokoto State’s Silame Local Government Area, grief-stricken residents have rejected military claims that the casualties were terrorists.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) reported targeting a Lakurawa terrorist hideout, but the operation resulted in destruction across civilian areas, leaving behind death, injured survivors, burned homes, dead livestock, and destroyed food silos.
While the military has promised a thorough investigation, officials, including NAF spokesperson Air Vice Marshal Olusola Akinboyewa, maintain that the operation was based on credible intelligence and aerial reconnaissance.
When our correspondent visited the local government headquarters, a tense atmosphere prevailed as mourners gathered at the residence of the Local Government Chairman, Alhaji Abubakar Muhammad, to express their condolences.
Muhammad, visibly shaken, emphasized that those killed were farmers with no ties to terrorism. “This is heartbreaking,” he said. “Those killed were innocent people, and justice must prevail for the lives lost.”
Eyewitnesses shared chilling accounts of the strike. Faruk Abubakar, a resident of Rumtuwa, described how the attack struck early in the morning when people had just returned from prayers. “We saw the aircraft flying low and thought it would pass, but suddenly explosions erupted.
Fire spread quickly, trapping people in their homes,” he recounted. Another villager, Abubakar Silame, condemned the attack and stressed that the community had no history of harboring terrorists. “We have lost everything homes, livestock, food stores. The destruction is unimaginable,” he said.
For many, the tragedy feels surreal. Alhaji Audu Abubakar called it a “black Wednesday” for the community, lamenting the loss of his close friend.
A young girl named Hauwa’u shared the harrowing experience of witnessing her parents and younger siblings perish in the flames. “I saw them burn,” she said tearfully. “It’s a memory I will never forget.”
Amidst the anguish, the Defence Headquarters provided a conflicting narrative. Major General Edward Buba stated that the fatalities were caused by a secondary explosion at a terrorist logistics base rather than the airstrike itself. “The operation was precise, targeting a confirmed terrorist hideout,” he asserted during a press briefing in Abuja.
The tragedy has left the affected communities in ruins, and the call for accountability grows louder. Residents demand a thorough investigation to uncover the truth and ensure such incidents are prevented in the future.
For now, Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa remain somber reminders of the devastating consequences of miscalculated military operations and the fragility of innocent lives caught in the crossfire of conflict.