Sokoto killings: CDS defends military airstrikes, vows investigation

Abdullateef Fowewe

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has claimed that there was no mistake in the military airstrikes targeted at the members of the Lakurawa terrorist group in Sokoto.

It would be recalled that a fighter jet bombed two communities in the Silame Local Government Area of Sokoto State, killing at least 10 people and injuring several others on Wednesday.

However, the Sokoto State Government had confirmed that the 10 people who lost their lives in the strikes were innocent villagers.

However, the CDS during a visit to the state on Thursday, insisted that those killed were criminals.

He, however, said that an investigation would be launched into the matter.

He said, “We have individuals that still harbour those people and once you do that, you make yourself a target. Our appeal is please do not allow them to hang around you, and do not give them any support in whatever means.

“The incident that happened yesterday is an operation we conducted. We followed up and ensured we avoided mistakes as much as possible. If there were other mistakes that came up, we will investigate.

“From what we have seen, there were criminals in that place. Anybody that toyed with them was part of them.

“We want to appeal to the media, always understand that those guys want to use the media to send their message across. That is why it is dangerous to agree to what they are saying.”

He further stressed that despite the controversy surrounding the airstrikes, the military would continue with its operations and would not relent in fighting criminal elements but would avoid civilian casualties.