Nigeria Air Force ‘compensates’ victims of Sokoto accidental airstrike

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) says it has compensated the victims and families affected by the 25 December 2024 accidental airstrike on Sokoto villages.

The air force disclosed this in a statement posted on its official Facebook page on Sunday.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that a NAF aircraft, in an airstrike targeting suspected Lakurawa terrorists, killed at least 10 civilians in Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa villages in Silame LGA of Sokoto.

The airstrike was conducted under a joint operation called “Operation Fansan Yamma” in the North-west.

A military spokesperson had justified the killings at the time, describing the victims as associates of Lakurawa.

The Lakurawa terror group mainly operates in Kebbi and Sokoto states. Experts have continued to debate the group’s affiliation. While some say it is aligned with the al-Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), others contend that it is linked to Islamic State in the Sahel.

The compensation

The Chief of Civil-Military Relations, Edward Gabkwet, an air vice marshal, explained that the compensation followed a petition received in April 2025.

The petition, he said, led to “a comprehensive investigation.”

Mr Gabkwet, who represented Sunday Aneke, the chief of air staff, said the air force’s investigation confirmed that “13 civilians were unintentionally killed and eight others sustained various degrees of injuries.”

The outcome of the investigation, according to him, “deeply saddened the Service.”

He added that the air force “made it imperative to take responsibility and make amends.”

However, the details of the compensation were not stated in the statement.

Appreciating the state governor

Mr Gabkwet appreciated the state governor, Ahmed Aliyu, for “the warm reception and the enduring partnership between the NAF and the Government and people of the State.”

He also commended the governor’s “inclusive development” and security initiatives under “the 9-Point Smart Agenda.”

“Localised efforts such as the Community Guards Corps have complemented federal operations against terrorists and bandits while strengthening civil–military cooperation,” Mr Gabkwet noted.

“The Nigerian Air Force exists primarily to protect the lives and property of Nigerians. No professional military deliberately harms the very people it is sworn to defend,” Mr Gabkwet said, noting “Civilian Harm Mitigation” has been a central concern for the Chief of Air Staff since he assumed office in October.

Noting that it will apply “precise and purposeful” force against criminal elements, the air force highlighted institutional measures such as the NAF Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan (NAF CHMR-AP).

It also advised citizens to avoid “mingling or cohabiting” with terrorists, warning that such associations heighten the risk of collateral damage.

In his remarks, Governor Aliyu praised the air force for its “professionalism, transparency, and compassion.”

According to the air force statement, the governor described the compensation “as a demonstration of a responsible and people-centred military.”

Unresolved Borno airstrikes

The latest compensation occurred about one year after the killing of the Sokoto civilians. However, such incidents continue to happen as security agencies intensify the war on terrorists.

PREMIUM TIMES exclusively reported that the air force, in two accidental airstrikes on 14 December, killed some civilians, mostly fishermen and commercial drivers in the Mararaba area in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State.

While 10 vehicles were reportedly destroyed in the airstrikes, the number of casualties remains unclear. Some injured victims were taken to the General Hospital in Mungono.

Although the area has been under insurgents’ threats for a long time, it is believed to be inhabited by civilians.

The Borno State Government told PREMIUM TIMES that the air force has not responded to its enquiry about the incident.