The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has appealed to residents of Sokoto State to return explosive materials allegedly taken from the site of U.S. Christmas Day airstrike in Jabo community, warning that the items pose grave danger to anyone in possession of them and the wider public.
Speaking on Wednesday while fielding questions from journalists in Abuja, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, said the military was concerned that sensitive and highly dangerous materials from the blast scene had been removed by unauthorised persons.
According to Onoja, the Armed Forces do not expect civilians to pick up or keep such materials, stressing that specialised military formations are trained and mandated to recover and neutralise explosive devices.
“We can only appeal to them to return all materials that may prove harmful to them,” Onoja said. “We don’t expect anybody to take away these materials. We have formations within the armed forces whose duty it is to recover those things.”
The senior military officer urged the media to help spread the message, calling on those in possession of the materials to return them to nearby military bases or recognised security locations to enable safe disarmament.
“So we also want you to disseminate to them that they should return them to the military or security locations so that we can disarm those things before they cause greater damage to the individuals who have taken them and to the other members of the public,” he added.
The appeal comes amid growing security concerns in some parts of Nigeria, where terrorist activities and the circulation of illicit weapons have continued to threaten lives and property.
SaharaReporters previously reported that the Sokoto State government had stressed that investigations were ongoing following a joint airstrike carried out by the Nigerian military in collaboration with the U.S. against terrorist enclaves in Tangaza Local Government Area.
It confirmed that no civilian casualties were recorded.
The clarification was contained in a statement issued by the Director-General of Media and Publicity, Government House, Sokoto, Abubakar Bawa, and made available to journalists in the state capital.
According to the statement, the joint operation, formed part of sustained efforts to dismantle terrorist and bandit networks operating within Sokoto State and along Nigeria’s northwestern borders, with post-strike assessments still underway.
“The impact of the airstrike could not be immediately determined as assessment reports from the Joint Operations are still being awaited,” the statement said.
The state government said investigations were ongoing following public concerns over the discovery of suspicious objects near Jabo town, noting that conclusions would only be drawn after detailed analysis by relevant authorities.
“The circumstances surrounding the objects found in a location near Jabo town could not be immediately explained, as the outcome of analysis by Nigeria–US military authorities is being awaited,” Bawa stated.
He emphasised that despite the ongoing investigations and assessments in both locations, no civilian casualties were recorded in Tangaza and Jabo communities.
The state government reiterated its commitment to supporting security agencies as investigations and security operations continue across the state.
It also called for continued public cooperation as security agencies conclude their investigations.
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