…25 people were killed, villagers claim
The Nigerian Air Force, (NAF), has refuted the claims of striking civilians in its recent airstrike, insisting that the operation was based on credible intelligence about the presence of a major terrorist logistics base in the Yadi Forest.
The NAF stated that the recent airstrike was part of its ongoing Operation WHIRL PUNCH (OPWP), aimed at targeting terrorist hideouts in Kaduna and surrounding areas.
Group Captain Kabiru Ali, Deputy Director of Public Relations and Information for NAF, explained that the strike was focused on a known logistics base used by notorious terrorist leaders, including Kadade Gurgu, a close associate of Dogo Gide.
He added that the facility was identified through extensive intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) operations, which confirmed a significant presence of terrorists and their motorcycles in the area.
However, villagers claimed that over 25 people, including worshippers and traders, were killed in an airstrike conducted by the NAF in the Jika da Kolo community, Yadin Kidandan, Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
Villagers claimed that 23 worshippers were killed during prayers at the mosque, while others lost their lives at the market.
A councillor representing the area, Abdullahi Ismail, confirmed the tragic event, noting that while the region has long been plagued by banditry, innocent civilians, including children and farmers, were among those who perished in the strike.
A Jika Kolo villager who craved anonymity also confirmed the incident to journalists saying, “Yes; it is true that there was a strike by a plane on Friday at a mosque in Jika da Kolo village that claimed many lives, including a few from our village who went to their farms or to do business at the local market close to the mosque. Many people were killed, among them farmers and children who had gathered around the mosque”
“We heard a loud sound as the bomb dropped. Bodies were mutilated, and we had to bury 23 people, including children, who were gathered at the mosque.
“The strike disfigured the bodies of most of those affected. Of course, Yadin Kidandan is a danger zone because it is under the control of bandits. But some innocent villagers still live around there because they have no other place to go just like the casualties that we witnessed on Friday. So, we discovered that when the strike occurred, most of the people at the mosque died.”
“It was a crowded place because there was a local market close to the mosque which was also affected. The incident happened around 2 pm,” the villager said.
The NAF, however, added that their ISR platform had detected terrorists attempting to flee as the aircraft approached the area, but the operation successfully hit the intended target, engulfing the base in flames. NAF insists that there was no civilian infrastructure in the area, and the airstrike specifically targeted terrorist elements.
“Reports from independent sources, including local informants, confirmed that the logistics base was completely destroyed, and scores of terrorists were killed as a result of the attack. There was no mosque at the targeted location, and the operation was a success in dismantling the terrorists’ network,” Group Captain Ali stated.
The villagers, however, maintain that civilians were caught in the crossfire, urging the Federal and Kaduna State governments to launch an investigation into the incident. They expressed concerns that many innocent people, who had no choice but to remain in the region due to the ongoing insecurity, were now victims of military operations intended to flush out bandits.
In response, the NAF reiterated its commitment to working closely with surface forces to continue targeted interdictions against bandit strongholds across the North-West and North-Central regions. The military vowed to maintain pressure on terrorist networks and to ensure that their safe havens are decimated.
“The Nigerian Air Force, in collaboration with ground forces, will continue to dominate the battle space through constant patrols and targeted strikes to eliminate the threat of terrorism in these regions,” the statement from Group Captain Ali concluded.
