The Defence Headquarters has issued a strong warning to residents, urging them to stay away from unexploded weapons and debris left behind following recent joint United States airstrikes in parts of Sokoto State.
The U.S. military, acting in collaboration with Nigerian authorities, carried out targeted air operations on Christmas Day against terrorist hideouts linked to the Islamic State. The strikes involved the deployment of 16 precision-guided munitions on two major militant strongholds located in the Bauni forest area of Tangaza Local Government Area.
However, reports indicate that fragments from the operation landed as far away as Offa in Kwara State, where residents reported loud explosions around the same period the airstrikes were executed.
According to the Presidency, the military action was undertaken at the request of the Nigerian government as part of ongoing counterterrorism efforts.
Addressing journalists on Friday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, confirmed that specialised bomb disposal and ordnance units have been dispatched to affected locations to recover all remnants of the strikes.
He stressed that civilians should not attempt to touch, collect or store any suspected explosive materials.
“We strongly advise members of the public not to handle or keep any of these objects. Anyone in possession of such items should immediately hand them over, as they pose serious danger to life,” he said.
The warning comes amid circulating videos on social media showing individuals scavenging unexploded devices and metal fragments at some of the impact sites in Sokoto State, raising fears of potential accidental detonations.
In Kwara State, security sources also confirmed that an undetonated explosive device was discovered at one of the affected locations, prompting authorities to tighten security and restrict access to the area while safety operations were carried out.
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