Trending 
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has paid compensation to victims and families affected by the accidental airstrike of December 25, 2024, in Sokoto State.
The beneficiaries come from the Gidan Bisa and Rumtuwa communities in the Silame Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
In a statement issued on Sunday, December 21, the NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, expressed appreciation to the Sokoto State Government for fostering a cordial and cooperative relationship between the Air Force and local communities.
Represented by the Chief of Civil–Military Relations, AVM Edward Gabkwet, the CAS commended Governor Ahmed Aliyu for his inclusive development policies and security initiatives under the 9-Point Smart Agenda, particularly the creation of the Sokoto State Community Guards Corps.
Aneke praised the governor’s localised and proactive security approach, noting that it has complemented federal efforts against terrorists and bandits and improved security in parts of the state, highlighting the value of strong civil–military cooperation.
He explained that the airstrike was carried out under Operation Fasan Yamma based on intelligence reports indicating that suspected armed terrorists were moving through the affected communities.
Despite multiple intelligence checks, a petition submitted in April 2025 alleged civilian casualties. A detailed investigation later confirmed that 13 civilians died unintentionally, while eight others suffered varying degrees of injuries.
The CAS said the findings deeply saddened the Service and prompted immediate steps to address the situation.
He stressed that since assuming office on October 24, civilian harm mitigation has remained central to his command philosophy, noting that the NAF exists to protect the lives and property of Nigerians and does not deliberately harm the people it is sworn to defend.
According to Aneke, the compensation exercise aimed to sympathise with the victims, promote accountability and transparency, ease tensions and provide closure, while allowing the Service to draw lessons to minimise the risk of similar incidents in the future.
He noted that the NAF continues to institutionalise measures to prevent and respond to civilian harm, including the development of the NAF Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan.
The framework, he said, strengthens operational planning, improves assessments and investigations, supports continuous learning and ensures effective responses whenever civilian harm occurs. Its scalable design allows application across both kinetic and non-kinetic operations, with civilian protection treated as a critical operational priority.
Aneke reaffirmed the NAF’s commitment to precise and purposeful operations against terrorists and criminals, while urging citizens to avoid associating or cohabiting with terrorists and bandits, as such actions increase the risk of collateral damage during military operations.
He concluded that public cooperation remains essential as security forces intensify operations nationwide, assuring that the Nigerian Air Force, alongside other security agencies, remains determined to end terrorism, banditry, cattle rustling and kidnapping in Sokoto State, the wider North-West and across Nigeria.
