By Chimezie Godfrey
A coordinated military operation targeting Lakurawas terrorist hideouts in Silame Local Government Area (LGA) of Sokoto State resulted in the destruction of an arms cache and logistics dump, sparking secondary explosions that left 10 people dead. Efforts are underway to determine whether the deceased were terrorist collaborators.
Major General Edward Buba, Director of Defence Media Operations, noted that the operation, conducted on December 25, 2024, was a joint effort between the Air and Land Components of Operation FANSAN YAMMA.
According to him, it followed heightened terrorist activity in the area, confirmed through extensive Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions and corroborated by Human Intelligence (HUMINT).
He stated:“The airstrike achieved its primary objective of neutralizing the Lakurawa terrorists in their concentration area.
“The destruction of key infrastructure used by the terrorists, including arms caches and logistics dumps, confirmed the strike’s effectiveness. Unfortunately, the explosion of hoarded munitions resulted in deaths. Investigations are ongoing to determine whether those killed were directly involved with the terrorists or were innocent civilians.”
“The operation, meticulously planned and rescheduled to Christmas Day for additional confirmation of targets, began with a precision airstrike at 6:00 AM. The strike minimized collateral damage, according to military sources, while ground forces positioned strategically around the area prevented terrorist escape and assessed the strike’s impact.
“Local residents confirmed that the Lakurawas group had used the villages of Gidan Bisa and Gidan Runtuwa as staging areas for their operations. The destruction of the terrorist infrastructure was seen as critical to disrupting their activities.
“Our troops will continue to take painstaking measures to avoid civilian casualties,” Buba added. “All civilian casualties are viewed as needless tragedies. However, we remain resolute in dislodging terrorist groups across the nation.”
Gen. Buba reiterated military’s commitment to neutralizing terrorist threats while ensuring the safety of civilians in conflict zones. “The investigation into the deaths caused by the secondary explosions is expected to provide more clarity on the identity of the victims,” Buba stressed.
 of Sokoto State resulted){kind=link}