Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, has visited two communities impacted by a tragic military airstrike, which claimed at least 10 lives and left several others injured on Wednesday morning.
Braving the challenging terrain, Governor Aliyu joined residents in funeral prayers for the victims and announced a donation of ₦20 million to support the affected families.
He was accompanied by Senator Aliyu Wamakko, a key leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi.
Describing the incident as regrettable, the governor expressed deep sympathy for the community.
He explained that the military jets, while on a mission to target armed groups terrorising the state, had mistakenly bombed innocent residents.
“The military jets were on their mission to eliminate criminals armed groups terrorizing the state, and mistakenly bombed innocent people of this community.
“We consider this as a mistake because the same military had on several occasions successfully raided so many criminal hideouts in the state,” Aliyu stated.
The governor assured the community that a thorough investigation would be carried out to determine the cause of the error and to prevent a recurrence.
He prayed for the deceased, asking Almighty Allah to grant them forgiveness and strength for their families.
In addition to the monetary donation, the Secretary to the State Government, Muhammad Bello Sifawa, announced the provision of ‘100 bags of assorted foodstuffs’ to support the grieving families.
He also pledged that the state government would cover the medical expenses of those injured in the airstrike.