Following the Christmas day strikes on terrorist dens at Gidan Bisa and Gidan Runtuwa in Silame Local Government Area of Sokoto State, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) clarified that the explosion which resulted in the death of ten villagers was a secondary explosion from the destruction of the terrorists' base, not by direct airstrikes by the Nigerian Air Force.
Director of Defence Media Operations, Maj-Gen. Edward Buba, addressed newsmen, explaining that the airstrike was a precision-guided operation targeting the terrorist hideout in the area. He emphasized that there were fatalities because of a secondary explosion when the terrorists' logistics base, housing dangerous materials, including hand cartridges and explosives, was hit by airstrikes.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria has a duty to defend citizens from terrorists either through peaceful means, or the force of arms. It is in discharge of this responsibility that on 25 Dec 2024, a coordinated joint operation was conducted between the Air Component and the Land Component of Operation Fansan Yamma to destroy Lakurawas Terrorists Group (LTG) hideouts at Gidan Bisa and Gidan Runtuwa in Jirikon Forest in Silame LGA of Sokoto State. Prior to the operation, there was heightened terrorist activity in the area,” Buba stated.
The operation was meticulously planned, with the military conducting sustained Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions over extended periods to confirm the presence of Lakurawa terrorists in the area. Human Intelligence (HUMINT) reports corroborated these findings, emphasizing the strategic importance of neutralizing the location.
“The military conducted sustained Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions for over extended periods to painstakingly confirm that those hibernating in the area were Lakurawa terrorists. Significantly, the operation was rescheduled from an earlier date to 25 Dec 24 in order to allow for further confirmation using Human Intelligence,” Buba explained.
The joint operation was executed with the Air Component’s precision strike capability complemented by the Land Component’s ground presence. The precision airstrike was conducted at about 0600hrs, using precision-guided munitions to minimize collateral damage. The Land Component deployed at blocking positions around the target location to prevent the escape of Lakurawa terrorists and provided immediate post-strike assessment and follow-up actions.
“Subsequently, aircrafts conducted a precision airstrike on the identified hideouts at about 0600hrs. The strike was executed with precision-guided munitions to minimize collateral damage. The Land Component deployed at blocking positions around the target location to prevent the escape of Lakurawas terrorists. They also provided immediate post-strike assessment and follow-up actions,” Buba detailed.
Following the airstrike, ground forces moved into the area to assess the strike’s impact. They confirmed that the hideout was successfully neutralized with minimal damage to the surrounding village. Interaction with the locals affirmed the presence of the Lakurawas terrorists in the area. The destruction of key infrastructure used by the terrorists, including arms caches and logistics dumps, confirmed the strike’s effectiveness.
“Following the airstrike, ground forces moved into the area to assess the strike’s impact. The ground forces confirmed that the hideout was successfully neutralized, with minimal damage observed in the surrounding village. The ground forces interacted with the locals in the area who confirmed the presence of the Lakurawas terrorists in the general area. The airstrike achieved its primary objective of neutralizing the Lakurawas terrorists in their concentration area. The destruction of key infrastructure used by the terrorists, including arms cache and logistics dumps, confirmed the strike’s effectiveness,” Buba asserted.
ISR and HUMINT reports prior to the operation consistently indicated that the hideout was a high-concentration terrorist location. The military emphasizes that it takes painstaking measures to avoid civilian casualties, viewing all civilian casualties as needless tragedies. Despite this, the military remains committed to targeting and dislodging terrorists across the nation.
“ISR and HUMINT reports prior to the operation consistently indicated the hideout was a high-concentration terrorist location. Overall, troops will continue to take painstaking measures to avoid civilian casualties. All civilian casualties are viewed as a needless tragedy. Nevertheless, we will not relent in targeting and dislodging terrorists across our nation,” Buba concluded.
This incident is part of a broader pattern of violence in Nigeria’s northwestern and central regions, where heavily armed gangs operate. These gangs are known for mass abductions for ransom, as well as burning and looting homes. They have established camps in a large forest area spanning Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, and Niger states and have conducted large-scale kidnappings of students from schools.
Recent months have seen an escalation in attacks, particularly in Katsina and Zamfara states. In one notable incident last month, bandits killed 25 people, mostly local vigilantes, in Katsina state’s Sabuwa district. This attack was reportedly in retaliation for military offensives on their hideouts.
While these gangs primarily pursue financial gains, there are rising concerns about their increasing alliances with jihadist groups involved in a long-standing rebellion in the northeast. Such alliances could potentially amplify the threat they pose, complicating efforts to curb their activities.
Comments
Post a Comment