At least 10 civilians were killed and several others wounded when a Nigerian military fighter jet mistakenly bombed two villages in the northwestern state of Sokoto on Wednesday.

Governor Ahmed Aliyu confirmed the tragic incident, stating that the military jets were on a mission to eliminate armed bandits operating in the region. However, the aircraft mistakenly targeted civilian areas, resulting in the tragic loss of innocent lives.

The incident occurred in the villages of Gidan Sama and Rintuwa in the Surame local government area. The local government chairman reported that the bombing took place around 0500 GMT, with two military jets dropping bombs on the villages.

While the military acknowledged conducting operations in the vicinity of the villages, they did not initially report any civilian casualties. They stated that the targets were associated with the Lakurawa group, a newly emerged insurgent group operating in the region.

Governor Aliyu has stated that the state government will collaborate with relevant authorities to investigate the incident and determine the circumstances that led to the tragic loss of civilian lives.

Northwest Nigeria has been grappling with widespread insecurity, including armed banditry and kidnapping. The northeast of the country has been plagued by a 15-year-long Islamist insurgency, while the southeast faces challenges from gang and separatist violence.

This tragic incident underscores the complexities of counter-insurgency operations and the importance of ensuring the safety of civilians during such operations. (ILKHA)