A military airstrike meant to target bandits has instead claimed the lives of seven civilians in Yauni community, Zakka ward of Safana Local Government Area, Katsina State, leaving the community in shock and mourning.
The incident, which occurred in the aftermath of Saturday’s local government elections, unfolded after security operatives attempted to thwart an attack planned by bandits against voters in Zakka village.
According to sources, security forces, including police officers and members of the state-backed Community Watch Corps (CWC), engaged the bandits in a fierce gun battle. In the exchange, two police officers and a CWC operative were killed, while another officer, who sustained injuries, later succumbed to death.
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Following the deadly clash, a military fighter jet—reportedly dispatched for reinforcement—mistakenly dropped a bomb on Yauni community, south of Zakka. The tragic miscalculation wiped out six members of a single family, while another woman was left injured.
“We had already lost our men in the gunfight, and then, out of nowhere, the airstrike happened,” a resident, who pleaded anonymity, told reporters. “It’s devastating. Innocent people paid the price for something they had nothing to do with.”
This is not the first time an airstrike has mistakenly hit civilians in Katsina. In July 2022, at least two people were killed when a military fighter jet dropped a bomb on Kunkunni village, also in Safana Local Government Area.
The latest tragedy has sparked renewed concerns over the military’s counterinsurgency operations and the safety of civilians caught in the crossfire.