Military airstrikes in Nigeria have killed no fewer than 70 people in the year 2024, according to a report by the Foundation of Investigative Journalism (FIJ).

The report comes following the latest incident which saw an unspecified number of villagers residing in two localities in the Silame local government area of Sokoto State being feared dead after a fighter jet bombed the communities around 7 am on Wednesday, Christmas Day.

The Guardian learnt that the fighter jet was targeted at Lakurawa terrorists who have been terrorising the communities.

The affected communities have been identified as Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa. These two communities are reportedly located close to the Surame Forest. This forest has been identified as another hideout of Lakurawa and bandits.

Residents of the community told the press that over 10 villagers were killed and several others sustained varying degrees of injury during the airstrike.

Before Wednesday’s incident in Sokoto State, there had been two other prominent airstrikes in the country. “Three separate known military airstrikes have killed at least 70 innocent Nigerians in 2024 alone,” FIJ wrote.

There were other instances where innocent Nigerians died during airstrikes targeted at terrorists this year with many lives lost in Kukawa Village of Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State during a mistargeted airstrike by the Nigerian military in April 2024.

Most of the victims were performing Eid El Fitr prayers on April 3 when the military bombarded the area with deadly airstrikes, with reports claiming that no fewer than 40 innocent people died in the erroneous military operation.

On September 27, another set of 23 residents of Jika da Kolo village of Yadin Kidandan in Giwa Local Government Area of Kaduna State, lost their lives following an erroneous military airstrike in a mosque and a marketplace. (The Guardian)