A fighter jet on Wednesday, killed at least eight civilians, injured over 20 during an aerial bombardment on Buhari village in Yunusari local government of Yobe State.
The Chairman of the local government, Alhaji Bukar Gaji, has confirmed the incident to journalists.
He said “We received the sad news today (Wednesday) and the victims are currently in the hospital receiving treatment.”
The chairman added that: “We cannot say where the aircraft came from, whether from Niger Republic or Nigerian military, We don’t know; the actual picture can only be given by security forces.”
The incident, it was learned, happened Wednesday morning.
Villagers said the bombing occurred when residents were leaving to their farms and heading for the weekly Geidam weekly market.
The source said the aerial attack generated confusion in the village “because the Boko Haram attacks that we all know had never come through an aircraft.”
He said when shots were fired from the aircraft, “people ran helter-skelter. Sadly, some were killed while others sustained injuries.”
Hospital sources said about 20 people, including, men, women and children are receiving treatment at the Geidam General Hospital
Spokesperson of the Yobe police command, Mr Dungus Abdulkarim, said the incident has to do with military operations in the area, and he won’t talk about it.
There was no statement from the acting Army spokesperson of Sector 2 Operation Hadin Kai, Damaturu, Lt Kennedy Anyewau.
However, the Nigerian Air Force spokesperson, Air Commodore Edward Gabkwet, however, denied that the force was responsible for the incident. He was reacting to a tweet over the mishap.
“This tweet is false in its entirety. The NAF last conducted a mission into Yobe State (Not Yunusari LGA) on 5 September 2021 and it was an armed recce. No bomb or missile was even expended. Thanks.”
