NAF admits civilian casualties in Sokoto airstrike, compensates victims

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has handed over compensation to victims and families affected by the accidental airstrike that occurred on 25 December 2024 in Gidan Bisa and Rumtuwa communities of Silame Local Government Area, Sokoto State.

According to a statement by Ehimen Ejodame, Director of Public Relations and Information, Headquarters, Nigerian Air Force on Sunday, NAF acknowledged the harm caused and reinforce its commitment to the protection of civilians.

The compensation was presented during a visit to Sokoto State by a NAF delegation led by Edward Gabkwet, Chief of Civil–Military Relations, who delivered the message of Sunday Aneke, Chief of the Air Staff (CAS).

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Aneke expressed appreciation to Ahmad Aliyu Sokoto, Governor of Sokoto State, for the warm reception accorded the delegation and for the longstanding cooperation between the Nigerian Air Force and the government and people of the state.

He commended Aliyu’s inclusive development policies and security initiatives under his 9-Point Smart Agenda, particularly the establishment of the Sokoto State Community Guards Corps.

He said the community-based security outfit has complemented federal security operations and contributed to improved safety in parts of the state by helping to curb the activities of terrorists and bandits.

According to him, the initiative underscores the importance of strong civil–military collaboration in addressing security challenges.

In his response, Aliyu expressed gratitude to the Nigerian Air Force for its professionalism, sense of responsibility and concern for the welfare of citizens.

He noted that the compensation exercise demonstrated the NAF’s commitment to accountability and its role in protecting Nigeria’s security and territorial integrity.

Recounting the circumstances surrounding the airstrike, Aneke explained that the operation was conducted under Operation Fasan Yamma following intelligence reports indicating the movement of suspected armed terrorists through the affected communities.

He said that although the mission was based on multiple intelligence checks, a petition received in April 2025 alleged that civilians had been harmed during the operation.

“A comprehensive fact-finding investigation subsequently confirmed that 13 civilians were unintentionally killed, while eight others sustained varying degrees of injuries,” the CAS stated.

He added that the outcome of the investigation deeply saddened the Service and made it imperative for the NAF to take concrete steps to make amends to the affected families and communities.

Aneke emphasised that since assuming office on 24 October 2025, civilian harm mitigation has been central to his command philosophy.

“The Nigerian Air Force exists primarily to protect the lives and property of Nigerians. No professional military deliberately harms the very people it is sworn to defend,” he said.

According to him, the compensation exercise was aimed at commiserating with the victims, promoting transparency and accountability, easing tensions and providing a sense of closure, while also enabling the Service to draw lessons to prevent a recurrence of similar incidents.

The CAS also disclosed that the NAF has continued to institutionalise measures to prevent and respond to civilian harm, including the development of the Nigerian Air Force Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan (NAF CHMR-AP).

He explained that the framework is designed to strengthen operational planning, improve damage assessment and investigations, enhance institutional learning and ensure timely and effective responses whenever civilian harm occurs.

He added that the plan is scalable across both kinetic and non-kinetic operations, with the protection of civilians and the restoration of affected environments treated as critical operational considerations.

While reaffirming the NAF’s resolve to apply precise and purposeful force against terrorists and other criminal elements, the Air Force appealed to citizens to avoid mingling or cohabiting with terrorists and bandits within their enclaves.

Such associations, it warned, significantly increase the risk of collateral damage during military operations.

The Service stressed that public cooperation remains vital to safeguarding innocent lives as security forces intensify operations across the country.

The Nigerian Air Force reiterated its commitment, in collaboration with other security agencies, to ending terrorism, banditry, cattle rustling and kidnapping in Sokoto State, the wider North-West region and across Nigeria.

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