Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has expressed strong condemnation over the tragic military airstrike on December 25 that claimed the lives of 10 civilians and injured six others in the villages of Rumtuwa and Gidan Sama in Sokoto State. The attack also resulted in the loss of an estimated 100 animals, including camels, cows, and donkeys.
The affected villages, situated near the Surame Desert, are reportedly close to a known hideout of the Lakurawa terror group, which has recently emerged as a significant threat. The Nigerian military’s operation, intended to target this group, instead led to the devastating loss of civilian lives and property.
Taking to social media platform X, Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), decried the airstrike as “an outrage that must be condemned in the strongest terms.”
Reflecting on past incidents, Atiku highlighted a similar tragedy that occurred on December 3, 2023, when an airstrike on a religious gathering in Tudun Biri, near Kaduna, reportedly killed tens of innocent civilians. He questioned whether lessons had been learned from these repeated tragedies.
“The devastating airstrike that claimed the lives of nearly a dozen innocent civilians and left many others wounded in the peaceful communities of Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa in Sokoto State is an outrage that must be condemned in the strongest terms,” he wrote. “But this tragedy begs the question: What have we truly learned from the heart-wrenching losses of the past?”
Atiku emphasized the necessity of precision and reliable intelligence in military operations against terrorism. “While targeting terrorists is a legitimate goal, these strikes must be carried out with unmatched precision and based on irrefutable intelligence. The indiscriminate killing of innocent citizens… can never be justified,” he stated.
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He further warned against the alienation of communities, stressing that such actions only breed further division and resentment. “When those who are meant to be our partners in the fight against terrorism are instead treated as targets, we are sowing the seeds of further division and anger,” he cautioned.
The former Vice President called for an immediate end to what he described as a “tragic cycle of death.” He urged the government to ensure that past mistakes are not repeated and that every life is valued. “The only way forward is to learn from the past, to make sure that every life is valued, and to ensure no more families have to mourn the loss of loved ones to senseless violence,” he said.
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Atiku extended his heartfelt condolences to the grieving families and the people of Sokoto State. “To the grieving families and the people of Sokoto, my heart goes out to you. May the souls of the departed rest in eternal peace. Amin,” he concluded.
