At least 10 killed after Nigerian military jet targeting bandits bombs civilians

PHOTO CAPTION: A Nigerian flag is seen outside Nigeria Trade Office after Nigerian request to Taiwan to relocate its representative office in the African country, in Taipei, Taiwan January 12, 2017. REUTERS/Tyrone Siu

ABUJA (Reuters) - At least 10 people were killed and several wounded when a Nigerian military fighter jet pursuing bandits in two villages mistakenly bombed civilians in the northwestern state of Sokoto on Wednesday, the state governor Ahmed Aliyu said.

"The military jets were on their mission to eliminate criminal armed groups terrorizing the state, and mistakenly bombed innocent people of this community," Aliyu said in a statement.

Aliyu added that the state will collaborate with other authorities to investigate the military operation that killed people in the villages of Gidan Sama and Rintuwa in the Surame local government area.

The military late on Wednesday said it had struck targets in the vicinity of Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa identified as associated with the Lakurawa group, but did not provide any details on civilians affected.

Last month, the military warned of a new insurgent group, Lakurawas, infiltrating the country's northwest region from neighbouring Niger and Mali.

Wednesday's deadly air assault occurred at around 0500 GMT after two military jets dropped bombs in the villages, the local government chairman said.

There is widespread insecurity in northwest Nigeria, while a 15-year Islamist insurgency has plagued the northeast of the country and gang and separatist violence affects the southeast.



(Reporting by Ahmed Kingimi in Maiduguri and Garba Muhammad in Kaduna; Writing by Chijioke Ohuocha,; Editing by Louise Heavens)