The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, has warned civilians living with suspected criminals to desist from such acts or face the consequences of their actions.
He stated this while speaking with newsmen in Sokoto during his visit to the troops of Operation FASAN YANMA at 8 Division Headquarters in Sokoto.
The Army, while responding to allegations of killing civilians in the recent attack in Silame Local Government on Christmas Day, said the military would investigate such claims but warned that the military will not take any responsibility for anyone harbouring criminals in their midst.
“I want to call on everyone not to harbour any suspected criminals in their midst, be it Lakurawa or Bandits; they should expose them and leave their vicinity.
“The military is not going to take it lightly with any criminals disturbing the peace of the nation; we are dealing with them, and we are coming for the rest.
“We have individuals that still harbour them, and once you do that, you are making yourself a legitimate target. We appeal: do not harbour yourself around them; do not live with them to avoid being a legitimate target.
“Please, do not hang yourself around them; do not give them any support in whatever means, because once you do that, you are making yourself a target.
“The incident that happened yesterday was an operation we did. We followed up and tried as much as we could to avoid any mistakes. If there are other mistakes that came up in the operation, we will investigate.
“We did our homework; we have the video of everything that happened, and we are going to investigate.”
While calling on the media not to give bandits or other criminal elements much publicity, he said the country would not allow any foreign base on Nigerian soil, while calling on neighbouring countries like Niger, Chad, and Benin, among others, to cooperate with the country in dealing with the enemies of peace.
Also, while addressing troops of Operation FASAN YAMMA during the luncheon, he said, “I want to extend my heartfelt appreciation to every one of you for your unwavering dedication and sacrifices in ensuring the safety and security of Nigeria, particularly in your deployment to the Joint Task Force Northwest Operation FASAN YAMMA.
“Despite the inherent challenges, your daily commitment to duty in the field remains a source of inspiration to us all and further exemplifies the true spirit of patriotism required for defeating the threats to our nation’s peace and stability.
“The recent deployment of the Special Operations Brigade and some combat enablers to dislodge and eliminate the re-emergence of Lakurawa terrorists from their camps in Sokoto and Kebbi states, and the successes so far achieved, is a testament to our commitment to resolving and combating all security threats across the theatres of operations.
“Accordingly, and under my leadership, the Armed Forces of Nigeria will continue to sustain its operational tempo and posture across military deployments both at home and abroad.”
He further said, “The coming year presents us with an opportunity to make significant progress in overcoming the challenges confronting our nation.
“Together, we must strive to ensure that the year 2025 is marked by transformative victories in all our operational theatres, particularly in Operation FANSAN YAMMA.”
The CDS further assured troops of the necessary support and resources to carry out their tasks effectively. “Your welfare, and that of your families, remains a top priority, and we will continue to work tirelessly to ensure your needs are met.”
The CDS also visited the military hospital to check on some of the troops receiving treatment.
Meanwhile, the Sokoto State government has confirmed that no fewer than 10 people lost their lives in the military airstrike in the state.
A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the state governor and made available to newsmen said no fewer than ten people were killed in a military airstrike while pursuing bandits in Gidan Bisa village of Silame Local Government Area in the early hours of today.
The statement said, “According to the Chairman of the area, Abubakar Gitta Rana, the incident occurred at about 6 am when two military fighter jets erroneously dropped bombs in the village, leaving 10 villagers and many livestock dead.
“Gov. Ahmed Aliyu, in company with the APC leader in the state, Sen. Aliyu Wamakko, and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi, defied the difficult terrain of the village and joined other villagers for the funeral prayers for the deceased.”
The statement said the governor, while condoling the community, described the incident as unfortunate and an act destined to happen by the Almighty Allah.
“The military jets were on their mission to eliminate criminal armed groups terrorising the state and mistakenly bombed innocent people of this community.
“We consider this a mistake because the same military had on several occasions successfully raided many criminal hideouts in the state,” he added.
The governor further said a thorough investigation would be conducted to find out what led to the avoidable mistake so as to guard against its recurrence.
Governor Aliyu also prayed to Almighty Allah to forgive the deceased and give their families the strength to bear the loss.
Earlier, the Secretary to the State Government, Muhammad Bello Sifawa, announced a donation of N20 million and 100 bags of assorted foodstuffs to the families of the deceased.
He added that the state government will also settle the medical bills of those hospitalised as a result of injuries they sustained from the bombardment.
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