In the wake of the US-led airstrikes on Christmas Day targeting ISIS-linked militant camps in Sokoto State, Nigerian authorities are now dealing with an unexpected fallout: residents picking up potentially explosive remnants scattered across local communities.
The strikes, coordinated with Nigerian forces and aimed at Lakurawa group hideouts in the Bauni forest near Tangaza, hit terrorist arms caches hard. According to officials, this triggered secondary explosions that flung munitions debris far and wide, landing in places like Jabo village in Tambuwal Local Government Area and even as far as Offa in Kwara State.
Locals in Jabo rushed to the sites after hearing massive blasts that lit up the night sky and shook homes. Videos circulating online show people digging up metal fragments and what look like unexploded ordnance buried in fields near homes and a clinic. Police bomb squads quickly moved in, recovering several dangerous items and cordoning off areas.
Major General Edward Buba, the Nigerian military's spokesman, has appealed directly to residents to stop handling or keeping any debris and turn it over immediately to security forces. "These materials are highly unstable and pose a serious risk to lives," he warned in a statement.
Authorities fear that curiosity or attempts to salvage scrap metal could lead to tragic accidents.Sokoto State officials echoed the call, assuring communities that experts are safely clearing the sites. No civilian injuries have been reported from the debris so far, but the incident has heightened anxiety in the region already grappling with banditry and insurgent threats.
The operation, praised by President Bola Tinubu's administration as a boost against transnational terrorism, has displaced some fears among fleeing terrorists while underscoring the perils of precision strikes in populated areas.
As recovery efforts continue into the new year, the focus remains on preventing any mishaps from these unintended remnants of the Christmas Day mission.
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