The Nigerian Army has maintained that the individuals killed in the December 25, 2024, airstrikes on terrorist hideouts in Silame Local Government Area of Sokoto State were members of the Lakurawa Terrorist Group. The operation targeted locations at Gidan Bisa and Gidan Runtuwa, identified as hubs for the group’s activities.
Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, stated, “Locals in the area confirmed that Lakurawa terrorists stayed in the village and used the general area as a staging ground for their operations.”
The coordinated operation, conducted under Operation Fansan Yamma, combined precision airstrikes by the Air Component with ground troop support to neutralize terrorist strongholds. The airstrikes destroyed an arms cache and logistics dump, triggering secondary explosions that caused munitions to detonate in various directions, resulting in 10 deaths.
According to Vanguard Report, Prior to the operation, increased terrorist activities had been observed in the region. Sustained Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions and Human Intelligence (HUMINT) reports confirmed the presence of Lakurawa terrorists in the area. The operation, initially scheduled for an earlier date, was rescheduled to December 25 to allow further intelligence verification.
At approximately 0600 hours, aircraft launched precision-guided munitions on the hideouts to minimize collateral damage. Simultaneously, ground forces established blocking positions to prevent the escape of terrorists and conducted immediate post-strike assessments.
Major General Buba emphasized that efforts were made to avoid civilian casualties, and the surrounding village sustained minimal damage. He noted that investigations are ongoing to determine whether those affected by the airstrikes were terrorist collaborators or civilians caught in the explosions.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria has a duty to defend citizens from terrorists, either through peaceful means or by force of arms,” Buba said.
The military reported the destruction of key terrorist infrastructure, including arms caches and logistics facilities, as a significant success.
“All civilian casualties are viewed as a needless tragedy. Nevertheless, we will not relent in targeting and dislodging terrorists across our nation,” Buba emphasized.
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The Nigerian Armed Forces reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining the safety and security of citizens and vowed to sustain operations against terrorist threats in the region.
