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MILITARY BOMBED TERRORISTS, ANYBODY WITH THEM WAS ALSO A CRIMINAL – DEFENCE CHIEF INSISTS
The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, on Thursday, insisted that the military only bombed terrorists and criminals in Sokoto State.
According to General Musa, who spoke when he visited Sokoto State amidst the controversy surrounding an airstrike targeted against Lakurawa terrorists, submitted that those targeted were terrorists and anyone found with them during the airstrike was an accomplice.
Recall that a fighter jet bombed two communities in the Silame Local Government Area of the state on Wednesday, killing at least 10 civilians and injuring several others.
The Sokoto State government claimed that some of those killed in the strikes were “innocent villagers”, while the military insisted that the strike was against criminals.
The CDS, while briefing newsmen at the Giginya Cantonment Sokoto during his visit on Thursday, also insisted the military airstrike was targeted at terrorists but added, however, that an investigation would be launched into the matter.
He submitted that the criminals were only trying to twist the narrative in the media to favour them.
“We have individuals that still harbour those people, and once you do that, you make yourself a target. Our appeal is please do not allow them hang around you, do not give them any support in whatever means.”
“The incident that happened yesterday is an operation we conducted. We followed up and ensure we avoided mistakes as much as possible. If there were other mistakes that came up, we will investigate.
“From what we have seen, there were criminals in that place. Anybody that toyed with them was part of them.
“We want to appeal to the media, always understand that those guys want to use the media to send their message across. That is what it is dangerous not to agree to what they are saying,” General Musa stated.
He vowed that despite the controversy surrounding the recent airstrikes, the military would continue with its constitutional duties of protecting Nigeria’s territorial integrity by fighting criminal elements but would avoid civilian casualties.
He urged civilians to also avoid staying where the terrorists and criminals are.
He explained that the military “would avoid civilian casualties as long as even they do avoid staying where the criminals are. It makes the job extremely difficult if we say wherever they are with the criminals, we avoid.
“If you are not with them, please leave their area and come out so that it gives us the ability to deal with them decisively.”
