NAF COMPENSATES SOKOTO AIR STRIKE VICTIMS, REAFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO CIVILIAN PROTECTION AND FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISTS AND BANDITS
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has handed over compensation to victims and families affected by the accidental air strike of 25 December 2024 in Gidan Bisa and Rumtuwa villages, Silame Local Government Area of Sokoto State. Delivering the message of the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, the Chief of Civil-Military Relations, Air Vice Marshal Edward Gabkwet, expressed gratitude to the Executive Governor of Sokoto State, Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, for the warm reception and the enduring partnership between the NAF and the Government and people of the State. He commended the Governor’s inclusive development and security initiatives under the 9-Point Smart Agenda, noting that localised efforts such as the Community Guards Corps have complemented federal operations against terrorists and bandits while strengthening civil–military cooperation.
Recounting the circumstances of the incident, the CAS explained that the air operation was conducted under Operation Fasan Yamma following intelligence on suspected terrorists transiting through the affected communities. Although multiple intelligence checks informed the mission, a petition received in April 2025 led to a comprehensive investigation. “A thorough fact-finding investigation confirmed that 13 civilians were unintentionally killed and eight others sustained various degrees of injuries,” the CAS stated, adding that the outcome deeply saddened the Service and made it imperative to take responsibility and make amends. He emphasised that since assuming office on 24 October 2025, Civilian Harm Mitigation has remained central to his Command Philosophy, stressing that “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.”
Responding, Governor Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto expressed appreciation to the Nigerian Air Force for its professionalism, transparency, and compassion, describing the compensation exercise as a demonstration of a responsible and people-centred military. He commended the NAF for its sustained commitment to protecting civilians while safeguarding the nation against terrorism and banditry, noting that such actions strengthen public trust and reinforce national unity. The CAS further highlighted ongoing institutional measures, including the NAF Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan (NAF CHMR-AP), while reaffirming the Service’s resolve to apply precise and purposeful force against criminal elements. The NAF also appealed to citizens to avoid mingling or cohabiting with terrorists and bandits, warning that such associations heighten the risk of collateral damage. The Nigerian Air Force, in concert with other security agencies, remains resolute in ending terrorism, banditry, cattle rustling, and kidnapping across Sokoto State, the North-West region, and Nigeria at large.
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