One of the areas targeted by a US airstrike in Sokoto State, north-west Nigeria, is a “primary route” for terrorists and is most likely to have led to the death of many of them, a local official said on Friday.
The airstrike targeted areas believed to be hideouts of terrorists along the Nigeria-Niger border in Sokoto State, the official said.
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The Chairman of Tangaza Local Government Area, Isa Salihu, told PREMIUM TIMES in a telephone interview that the strike hit a known hub for insurgents. However, Mr Salihu noted that casualty figures remain unconfirmed pending a formal security briefing.
“That area serves as their primary route when entering from the Niger Republic,” Mr Salihu explained. “They frequent these zones and have established camps in the dense forests near the border.”
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While Mr Salihu expressed hope regarding the mission’s success, he remained cautious about civilian casualties.
“We cannot yet confirm if targets were killed. We are awaiting detailed security reports to determine the impact and to verify if there were any civilian casualties.”
There is no doubt about the presence of terrorist groups in the targeted area, Mr Salihu noted.
“Locals frequently report sightings of armed groups nestled within the rocky hills along the border axis. The blast from the airstrike has caused panic among residents in the surrounding communities. We pray that no one is hurt,” Mr Salihu said.
Residents of the Tangaza and Tambuwal Local Government Areas (LGAs) confirmed the explosions in their communities.
In the Jabo community of Tambuwal LGA, a viral video has surfaced showing locals recovering debris from one of the blast sites.
In Tangaza, residents confirmed that the operations targeted specific locations believed to be the hideouts of the “Lakurawa” terrorist group.
The security situation in the northwestern part of Sokoto State, particularly in Tangaza and neighbouring Tambuwal, has deteriorated over the years due to the activities of terrorist groups.
Tangaza shares a border with the Republic of Niger. This proximity makes it a strategic “gateway” for cross-border movement. Terrorists use the porous borders to retreat into Niger when pressured by the Nigerian military, or to smuggle arms.
In recent years, Tangaza has seen the emergence of a group known as the Lakurawa. Originally a group of foreign herders from Sahelian countries, they have evolved into a terrorist group that imposes taxes on locals and enforces their own version of justice, often clashing with traditional authorities.
The Strike
A US military official told The New York Times that the strike involved more than a dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles fired from a Navy ship in the Gulf of Guinea, hitting insurgents in two ISIS camps in Sokoto State.
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The operation was coordinated with the Nigerian military, the official said.
US Africa Command said its initial assessment indicated that “multiple” ISIS terrorists were killed at the request of Nigerian authorities.
Nigeria’s foreign minister later confirmed that President Bola Tinubu had approved the strikes and that Nigeria had shared intelligence with the US to ensure the strikes’ success.
