•NAF airstrike
A security expert, Kabir Adamu, has said that the Defence Headquarters’ clarification on the airstrikes that claimed the lives of 10 persons in Sokoto State has not addressed the issue in contention which is the killing of innocent civilians.
The Sokoto State Government had claimed that the Wednesday’s airstrikes by the military mistakenly killed 10 innocent villages which the military promptly denied and maintained that only terrorists were targeted.
The Defence Headquarters in a press briefing to clear the air on the controversy surrounding the strikes yesterday, blamed what it described as a “secondary explosion” for the death of “about ten persons”.
Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Edward Buba, said the deaths and injuries were due to “secondary explosions” and not a direct result of the strikes.
But speaking on Channels Television last night, Adamu said that even though the DHQ’s explanation has brought a bit of clarity, it is yet to address the issue of killing of innocent civilians.
•The scene of the bombing in Sokoto State
“It (DHQ’s clarifications) has added a little bit of clarity to the picture, but the challenge is that it does not address the core issue which is the killing of innocent civilians,” Adamu said.
“The target in this instance we were told is the logistic person for the Lakurawa group. A figure of such high value that the military will target him knowing very well that there is either material for bombs or improvised explosive materials and that civilians can be killed in that instance. Now if that is the case, what is the identity of that person? At what point will Nigerians be told who that individual is.”
The security expert said the reason it is important for the military to confirm that it was really the targeted terrorists that were killed is because if actions such as this that lead to deaths are not managed properly, it will provide the terrorists a platform with which to recruit more members.
He added, “It is purposely because of this that I urge DHQ to tread carefully and be very mindful of the kind of statement that comes surrounding this issue.
“Persons have died, properties have been burnt and sentiments are extremely high. At this point in time, what is important is to calm nerves and be as transparent as possible so that the average person in that village feels that the government is actually going to protect him and not necessarily an agent that led to his death and death of his people.”
He acknowledged that it is a military operation meant to serve a purpose of eliminating members of the Lakurawa terrorist group, but said that does not in any way defray the need to protect innocent lives.
