‘I Watched My Parents, Three Young Brothers Burnt To Death’

A resident has recounted the harrowing experience of watching her family burn to death in the tragic airstrike in Silame Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

Naija News reports that the distraught woman, who requested anonymity, in an interview with BBC Hausa, described how her father, mother, and three younger siblings were burnt to death during the airstrike.

She said, “I saw them burning—my mother, my father, and my three younger brothers.”

Another resident, Usman Manuga, also narrated the incident: “After the Fajr (early morning) prayer, we noticed planes flying overhead. Moments later, bombs were dropped, and everything went up in flames.”

The airstrike, carried out by a Nigerian military warplane, was targeted at suspected insurgents in the area.  However, the attack reportedly claimed the lives of 10 civilians, injured six others, and killed around 100 animals, including camels, cattle, sheep, and donkeys.

Meanwhile, Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, has visited two communities impacted by a tragic military airstrike, which claimed at least 10 lives and left several others injured on Wednesday morning.

Braving the challenging terrain, Governor Aliyu joined residents in funeral prayers for the victims and announced a donation of ₦20 million to support the affected families.

He was accompanied by Senator Aliyu Wamakko, a key leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi.

Describing the incident as regrettable, the governor expressed deep sympathy for the community.

He explained that the military jets, while on a mission to target armed groups terrorising the state, had mistakenly bombed innocent residents.