By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Influential opposition leader and former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the airstrike in Sokoto State, in the country’s north-western region, in which 10 locals were killed.
“The devastating airstrike that claimed the lives of nearly a dozen innocent civilians and left many others wounded in the peaceful communities of Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa in Sokoto State is an outrage that must be condemned in the strongest terms,” Atiku, the candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 presidential election, said in a post on X on Thursday.
While the Sokoto State government said that the airstrike conducted by the military killed innocent villagers, the military has insisted that the strike targeted members of the Lakurawa terrorist group who are believed to be hiding in the area.
The incident on Wednesday came barely after one when a similar airstrike in Tudun Biri, in northern Kaduna State, killed over 80 persons.
But Atiku, who has consistently accused the President Bola Tinubu government of insensitivity to the plight of the Nigerian masses, especially with regards to his economic policies, said innocent citizens are treated like terrorists.
“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. When those who are meant to be our partners in the fight against terrorism are instead treated as targets, we are sowing the seeds of further division and anger.”
The former Vice President of the oil-rich West African nation wondered if any lessons were learnt from the Tudun Biri airstrike in December last year.
While acknowledging the legitimacy of targeting terrorists, Atiku said that “these strikes must be carried out with unmatched precision and based on irrefutable intelligence.”
The statement further reads, “We cannot expect them to see a difference between those who protect them and those who harm them when they are caught in the crossfire. 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 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.”
Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, has visited the two communities that were bombed by the military fighter jets and donated ₦20 million to support the families of those affected by the incident.
Meanwhile, the military said investigations have been launched to ascertain the root cause of the sad incident.
