Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has described as devastating, Wednesday’s airstrike in Sokoto State, which claimed about 10 lives and left several others injured.
The New Daily Prime gathered that a Nigerian Air Force airstrike, aimed at neutralising Lakurawa terrorists, accidentally targeted Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa communities in the Silame Local Government Area of the state.
Reacting to the incident in a post on his X handle today, Atiku tagged the airstrike as an outrageous act that must be denounced in the strongest terms.
He noted, “But this tragedy begs the question: What have we truly learnt from the heart-wrenching losses of the past? On December 3, 2023, tens of innocent lives were lost in a brutal airstrike on a religious gathering at Tudun Biri, near Kaduna. How many more lives must be lost before we take action?
“While targeting terrorists is a legitimate goal, these strikes must be carried out with unmatched precision and based on irrefutable intelligence. The indiscriminate killing of innocent citizens — our brothers, our sisters, our neighbours— can never be justified. It is not only a failure but a gross violation of humanity itself.”
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) criticized the Nigerian Airforce, stating that the ongoing killing of innocent citizens is fueling division and deepening public anger.
He further stated that the families of the innocent victims and others now struggle to distinguish between the Nigerian Air Force and terrorists.
“We must stop this tragic cycle of death. The only way forward is to learn from the past, to make sure that every life is valued, and to ensure no more families have to mourn the loss of loved ones due to senseless violence.
“To the grieving families and the people of Sokoto, my heart goes out to you. May the souls of the departed rest in eternal peace”, said the Adamawa-born politician.
