A military airstrike intended to target bandits tragically claimed the lives of six residents in Yauni Community, Zakka Ward, Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State, leaving the community in shock and turmoil.
Security sources confirmed to Channels Television on Monday that the victims included three children, a man, and two women, all reportedly members of the same family.
The incident occurred shortly after Saturday’s Local Government Elections when security operatives acted to prevent an attack by bandits on voters in Zakka village.
According to eyewitness accounts, a fierce gun battle ensued between the bandits, the police, and members of the State Community Watch Corps (CWC), resulting in the deaths of two police officers and a CWC operative. Another officer, who sustained severe injuries during the clash, later succumbed to his wounds.
Following the deadly encounter, a military fighter jet was deployed for reinforcement but mistakenly dropped a bomb on Yauni, a community located in the southern part of Zakka village.
This tragic error has heightened concerns about the safety of residents amid ongoing efforts to combat banditry in the region.
“As a result of this, we lost our men in the gun battle. Another woman was also left injured,” the eyewitness noted.
However military and government authorities have not commented on the matter as of the time of this report.
This was not the first time a tragedy of such magnitude and nature happened.
In July 2022, at least two people were equally reported to have been killed when a military fighter jet mistakenly dropped a bomb on Kunkunni village, in the Safana Local Government Area of the State.
Earlier in the year, a military airstrike in Zamfara mistakenly killed 16 persons. Those affected included members of the Zamfara Community Protection Guard (ZCPG), local vigilantes, and residents.