The Federal Government has pledged a full investigation into the tragic airstrike that claimed the lives of 10 people in Gidan Bisa and Runtuwa villages, Silame Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, made this assurance during a condolence visit to Sokoto State Governor Ahmed Aliyu on Friday. According to a statement by the governor’s spokesman, Abubakar Bawa, Matawalle solemnly vowed that “justice would prevail” and reaffirmed the Federal Government’s so-called dedication to ensuring the safety of Nigerians. Yet, the irony of an airstrike killing innocent citizens while fighting banditry raises a glaring contrast to the competence of such “dedication.”
Matawalle expressed regret over the terrorist activities disrupting peace in the region, as if the military’s own error was a lesser offense. He assured that the Federal Government would decisively address the banditry menace but stopped short of offering concrete measures to prevent such “mistakes” from happening again. He lauded Governor Aliyu for his proactive stance in combating banditry, citing Aliyu’s request for a military base in Sokoto as an example of leadership. Whether this is genuine praise or just an attempt to deflect from the Federal Government’s failure is debatable.
“We will continue to provide all the necessary equipment and resources to Sokoto State,” Matawalle claimed, as if resources alone can solve the underlying issues of poor intelligence and operational mishaps. He also conveyed President Bola Tinubu’s condolences, noting that the president is “deeply concerned” about the incident. But concern without tangible action is hardly comforting to the grieving families of the victims.
The minister attributed the tragic bombing to erroneous intelligence that led the military to believe the area was dominated by the notorious Lakurawa bandits. Are we to accept that “erroneous information” is an unavoidable reality in combating terrorism?
Governor Aliyu, in his response, called for improved intelligence and surveillance to prevent such tragic errors in the future. He commended the military and security agencies for their efforts, perhaps out of necessity, rather than genuine appreciation. His remarks that the incident was “bound to happen” seem disturbingly resigned, as if he meant collateral damage is an acceptable cost in the fight against banditry. Sokoto airstrike just brings to light the flaws in Nigeria’s counterterrorism strategy.
