United States airstrike carried out in parts of Tangaza and neighbouring Tambuwal local government areas of Sokoto State has hit locations believed to be major hideouts and transit routes for terrorist groups operating along the Nigeria–Niger border.
Isa Salihu, Chairman of Tangaza Local Government Area, told newsmen on Friday that the operation targeted a well-known hub used by insurgents moving between Nigeria and the Niger Republic.
However, he said casualty figures could not yet be confirmed, pending an official security briefing.
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“That area serves as their primary route when entering from the Niger Republic. They frequently move through those zones and have established camps in the dense forests close to the border”, Salihu said.
While expressing cautious optimism about the outcome of the strike, the council chairman said authorities were still awaiting detailed reports from security agencies to determine the full impact of the operation.
“We cannot yet confirm if targets were killed. We are awaiting comprehensive security reports to know exactly what was achieved and to verify whether there were any civilian casualties,” he said.
Salihu stressed that the presence of terrorist groups in the affected areas was not in doubt, noting that residents have long complained about armed groups occupying difficult terrain along the border axis.
“Locals regularly report sightings of armed men hiding within the rocky hills along the border. The blast from the airstrike caused panic across nearby communities. We are praying that no innocent person was hurt”, he said.
In Jabo community of Tambuwal Local Government Area, a video circulating on social media shows residents recovering debris believed to be from one of the blast sites.
In Tangaza, residents also confirmed that the operation appeared to have targeted specific locations suspected to be hideouts of the Lakurawa group.
The security situation in northwestern Sokoto State, particularly in Tangaza and Tambuwal, has worsened over the years due to the activities of terrorist and armed groups.
Tangaza’s proximity to the Republic of Niger has made it a strategic corridor for cross-border movement, with militants reportedly exploiting the porous frontier to escape military pressure or smuggle weapons.
In recent years, a group known as the Lakurawa has emerged prominently in the area. Initially described as foreign herders from Sahelian countries, the group has reportedly transformed into a violent terrorist organisation.
Residents say the group imposes taxes on communities, enforces its own version of justice, and frequently clashes with traditional authorities.
According to the United States Africa Command (AFRICOM), the operation involved more than a dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from a US Navy ship stationed in the Gulf of Guinea. The missiles reportedly struck two camps linked to the Islamic State (ISIS) in Sokoto State.
AFRICOM said an initial assessment suggested that “multiple” ISIS fighters were killed in the strikes, which it said were carried out at the request of Nigerian authorities.
