The U.S. airstrikes that hit Lakurawa terrorists’ camps in Tangaza have forced many terrorists to flee, investigations by LEADERSHIP Sunday have revealed.
The airstrikes reportedly targeted a Lakurawa terrorist camp in Tandami village, Tangaza Local Government Area (LGA), bordering Illela LGA, resulting in the deaths of several terrorists, according to residents.
According to reports, authorities have alerted neighbouring states to Sokoto that Lakurawa members may have fled the area after the recent airstrikes and that they need to take necessary precautions to protect their states.
Meanwhile, more explosive devices have been discovered at a different location from where the first bomb fell in Jabo town, Tambuwal Local Government Area of Sokoto State, following the U.S. airstrike.
Community sources stated that upon excavation, a metal object similar to the previous explosive was spotted, and it was recommended that digging be halted due to suspicions that it might be unexploded ordnance.
According to the source, “Authorities have urged the public to avoid approaching the area, refrain from inspecting or excavating anything, and leave the site entirely until security personnel with expertise in handling such matters arrive and clear the area.
“Everyone should stay away from the area until the excavation of the explosive devices is completed,” the source stated.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Police have deployed a team of explosives experts to Jabo town to investigate objects resembling bombs that were discovered buried in the ground near the site of the U.S. airstrikes.
Security personnel have already cordoned off the area and are tightening security in the affected locations.
The Police Area Commander in charge of Tambuwal Local Government Area, Muhammed Augie, has warned against scavenging metal remnants from the sites of the recent airstrikes.
The warning comes after some residents were seen scavenging items from the incident site, such as scrap metal, aluminium, wires, batteries and other materials that could be sold.
The Area Commander, who was present at the scene, declined to comment on the bombing incident but urged the District Head of Jabo, Alhaji Abubakar Jabo, to caution residents against visiting the strike location or handling fragments from the explosion.
Meanwhile, the Commandant of Base 15 Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Unit in Sokoto, Hassan Jatau, said the area had been cordoned off to prevent possible harm from unexploded materials.
He emphasised the need for public sensitisation, noting that unexploded ordnance could pose serious dangers.
Residents were seen in television footage collecting metallic pieces believed to be remnants of the device and hiding them in their homes, with plans to sell them later to scrap dealers.
The District Head of Jabo, Alhaji Aliyu Garba Jabo, said, “Despite the risks, our young ones still picked through debris without protective gear, unaware that unexploded or contaminated fragments could still pose serious danger.
“With no clear communication on the hazards associated with explosive remnants, people were treating the explosive remains as if they were something precious.
“Such practice reflects a deeper crisis rooted in poverty, lack of awareness, and the absence of immediate government intervention following the explosion,” Alhaji Garba Jabo stated.
According to the Tangaza LGA Chairman, Isa Saleh Bashir, who spoke to the BBC, the strike hit bush paths and terrorist camps in the area.
“We have not received information on the number of people killed, but they are certainly injured. Reports indicate that Niger Republic security forces on patrol said they saw Lakurawa fleeing the area,” the local government chairman said.
The airstrikes, reportedly targeting ISIS militants, have sparked panic and confusion among locals, with many questioning the government’s ability to protect its citizens.
Crush Bandits, Terrorists Hibernating In Sokoto, Army Chief Tasks Troops
Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has charged troops of 8 Division, Sokoto, and the Joint Task Force, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, to sustain the current operational tempo and decisively eliminate bandits and terrorists operating within Sokoto and its environs.
Lt-Gen Shaibu gave the charge on Saturday, December 27, 2025, while addressing troops of 248 Reconnaissance Battalion, Illela, Sokoto State, during an operational visit to formations and units under the 8 Division Area of Responsibility.
In a statement by the Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, the Army Chief commended troops for their gallantry, professionalism and resilience in confronting criminal elements whose activities have brought untold hardship to innocent Nigerians.
He lauded their operational successes, noting that their sustained efforts have significantly improved security within their Area of Responsibility.
“You must maintain the momentum to further annihilate and send the terrorists to their maker, who will decide what to do with them. We can no longer tolerate their excesses against the Nigerian people,” he said.
Shaibu further reassured the troops of his unwavering commitment to their welfare.
He also directed the construction of additional accommodation, medical and other essential facilities at Illela Barracks to enhance the morale, wellbeing and operational effectiveness of troops and their families.
Ndume Urges Extension Of Military Operations To North-East
Former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, has called on the Federal Government to extend Nigeria’s joint military operations with the United States against terrorist hideouts to the North-East region of the country.
Ndume made the appeal in a statement issued to journalists yesterday in Abuja, where he commended the recent military strikes carried out against Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) cells in Tangaza Local Government Area of Sokoto State.
He described the operation as timely and effective, noting that similar coordinated actions were urgently needed in the North-East, where terrorist activities remain persistent.
The United States President, Donald Trump, had earlier announced the attacks on his Truth Social platform, revealing that the Department of War executed what he described as “numerous perfect strikes.”
Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, later confirmed the development, stating that the United States military strikes were carried out with Nigeria’s full cooperation, approval and intelligence support.
He stressed that the operation did not violate Nigeria’s sovereignty and was not targeted at any religious group.
Ndume, a former chairman of the Senate Committee on Army, said extending the joint military operations to the North-East would significantly weaken the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and Boko Haram.
“We welcome this cooperation between Nigeria and the United States in targeting terrorist hideouts,” Ndume said.
“I am calling on them to extend it to the North-East, where ISWAP and Boko Haram have their three known black spots: Lake Chad, Mandara Mountains and Sambisa Forest, which are exclusive strongholds of ISWAP and Boko Haram,” he said.
The Borno South lawmaker further suggested that the military cooperation should go beyond airstrikes to include ground troop support.
“I also want to suggest that the military cooperation with the United States should extend to ground troops in training, intelligence and logistics. They should also back it up with attack helicopter support for ground troops,” he said.
Ndume commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for allocating what he described as the highest-ever funding to the defence sector in the 2026 budget.
However, he stressed the need for accountability and transparency in the utilisation of the funds.
The former Senate Chief Whip also expressed condolences to victims of a recent suicide bomb blast at a mosque in Gamboru, Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, which reportedly claimed five lives and left several others injured.
“I sympathise with the bomb blast victims in Borno State, where many people were killed and injured. The incident in the mosque in Gamboru is a clear indication that the terrorists do not care about religion,” he said.
“In this instance, on the eve of Christmas, all the victims were Muslims. So, the narrative of Christian genocide does not exist. The terrorists making life unbearable for our people are blind to religion,” Ndume added.
Nigeria’s Insecurity Problem Requires Strong Political Will To Tackle – Taraba CAN Chairman
The chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Taraba State, Very Rev. Fr William Owoshiri, has said Nigeria’s insecurity is fundamentally an internal problem that requires strong political will and adequate empowerment of the nation’s security agencies, rather than reliance on external troops.
He cautioned that direct military intervention by the United States in Nigeria’s fight against terrorism would not provide a lasting solution to the country’s insecurity challenges.
He spoke in an interview with journalists at the end of a special interdenominational service held at St Augustine Catholic Church in Jalingo.
Rev. Fr Owoshiri, who is also a lecturer at Taraba State University, expressed concern that foreign military involvement could create deeper security problems once such missions are concluded.
According to him, while recent military offensives by the United States government under President
Donald Trump against extremist groups such as ISIS may appear effective in the short term, similar intervention in Nigeria could expose the country to renewed waves of violence after foreign forces withdraw.
He questioned why the Federal Government would opt for temporary foreign military support instead of fully equipping and strengthening Nigeria’s armed forces to address the challenge decisively.
The Taraba CAN chairman recalled Nigeria’s successful peacekeeping roles in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Congo and other conflict zones across Africa, noting that the scale of insecurity in those countries was more severe than what Nigeria currently faces.
“Our security forces are strong enough to confront any aggression,” he said.
“They are well-trained personnel. If the government has the will, the Nigerian military can handle this challenge without external forces.”
He argued that foreign intervention would only offer a short-term solution and asked how long such external forces would remain in the country before leaving Nigeria to confront the same challenges again.
“This is our internal problem, and we have the capacity to face it. What we need is the political will to say enough is enough and to flush out these criminal elements,” he added.
Rev. Fr Owoshiri further emphasised that Nigeria’s Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, Civil Defence Corps and even local vigilante groups possess the capacity to confront terrorists, particularly if they are properly equipped and supported with modern weapons, drones and intelligence.
He noted that local vigilantes, with their knowledge of the terrain and forests, could play a critical role if adequately empowered.
The priest called on the United States and other allies to support Nigeria through intelligence sharing, logistical assistance and the provision of modern surveillance equipment.
He cited conflicts in countries such as Ukraine, Russia and Gaza, warning that external military involvement often complicates crises rather than resolving them.
“We do not want a situation where external intervention will compound our problems. What we need is support that strengthens our capacity, not one that weakens our sovereignty,” Rev. Fr Owoshiri said.
Troops Repel Terrorists In Adamawa
Troops of Operation Hadin Kai, in collaboration with other security elements, have successfully repelled an attack by suspected Boko Haram terrorists while approaching Garaha, a community in Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
An eyewitness said the incident occurred on December 24 at a border community connecting Askira/Uba Local Government Area.
Supported by members of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF), the troops swiftly responded to a distress call about the attempted incursion.
“The insurgents attempted to attack the village but were decisively engaged by the troops, who repelled them and forced them to retreat,” a security source disclosed.
No casualties were recorded during the incident, as residents of the village had fled the area before the terrorists arrived.
The Nigerian troops, it was learnt, have intensified patrols and surveillance in the general area and along border communities to prevent further attacks and deny the terrorists freedom of movement.
Operation Hadin Kai reiterated its commitment to sustaining offensive operations against Boko Haram and ISWAP elements to ensure the safety of lives and property in the North-East region.
Efforts to confirm the attack from the military or the police were unsuccessful.
Source: LEADERSHIP.NG
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