0:00
residents in Zanfara state one of the
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troubled states in Nigeria with frequent
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attacks on the locals by bandits have
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reported that not less than 20
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vigilantes were killed apparently in
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error by the Nigerian Air Force fighter
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jet on Saturday when a group of
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vigilante members gave a chase to
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invading bandits who killed and abducted
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a lot of persons most especially farmers
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at Garan Manni Mariah and Wabi villages
0:25
in Maru local government area of Zanfar
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Estate this an apparent military insider
0:31
news media Zagazola in its publication
0:33
titled Air Strike in Zanfara kills over
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20 bandits but claims vigilante
0:39
casualties released on Monday claimed
0:42
that only five vigilante members were
0:44
killed because the victims failed to
0:46
follow operational guidelines of
0:48
military joint operations specifically
0:51
the probably progovernment and military
0:53
news media stated that when the
0:55
vigilantes were given signal to retreat
0:57
they failed to do so according to the
1:00
Zagazola media the Nigerian army has
1:03
confirmed that over 20 bandits were
1:05
neutralized during a coordinated air
1:07
interdiction operation in Mariah and
1:09
Wabi villages of Maru local government
1:12
area of Zanfar Estate while four members
1:14
of a local vigilante group were also
1:17
affected in the attack zagazula Makama
1:20
gathered from reliably sources that the
1:22
air strike which occurred on Saturday
1:24
May 31st was followed by a ground
1:27
exploitation mission on Saturday by
1:29
troops of one brigade operation fans
1:31
Yanma to assess the impact and conduct
1:34
clearance operations in the area the
1:36
sources said that the interdiction
1:38
inflicted significant losses on the
1:40
terrorists including the destruction of
1:42
their motorcycles and equipment during
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the exploitation on June 1st it was
1:48
confirmed that over 20 bandits were
1:50
neutralized and several motorcycles
1:52
destroyed the source stated however the
1:55
source also confirmed that some number
1:57
of vigilante personnel were mistakenly
2:00
caught in the strike due to a failure to
2:02
comply with withdrawal orders issued
2:04
ahead of the operation unfortunately
2:07
five vigilante members were killed while
2:09
two others sustained injuries and are
2:11
currently receiving treatment in the
2:13
hospital a few others sustained minor
2:16
injuries and did not require
2:18
hospitalization the source added
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according to field reports the leader of
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the vigilante group has accepted full
2:25
responsibility for the casualties
2:27
suffered by his men stating that they
2:29
disregarded earlier instructions to
2:31
withdraw from the outskirts of the
2:33
village ahead of the air strike he
2:36
admitted that despite being informed of
2:37
the imminent air operation some of the
2:40
vigilante youths insisted on pursuing
2:42
the fleeing bandits and were still
2:44
within the target area when the aircraft
2:46
struck the military source said zagazola
2:49
learned that the interdiction was part
2:51
of intensified counterterrorism efforts
2:53
by troops under operation hadand dari to
2:56
degrade the operational capacity of
2:58
armed groups terrorizing communities
3:00
across Zanfara and neighboring states
3:03
the sources said that the military has
3:05
consistently warned local security
3:07
outfits and civilian volunteers to
3:09
adhere strictly to operational
3:11
guidelines and instructions during joint
3:13
operations to prevent unintended
3:16
casualties the latest operation comes
3:18
amid renewed efforts by the Nigerian
3:21
armed forces to stabilize rural areas
3:23
ahead of the farming season and restore
3:25
civil authority in volatile communities
3:28
across the Northwest sahare reporters
3:31
also reported that the Nigerian military
3:34
fighter jet has mistakenly struck and
3:36
killed about 20 men of a vigilante group
3:38
during an operation targeting bandits in
3:41
Garan Manni a village in the Maru local
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government area of Zanfara estate the
3:46
tragic incident occurred after armed
3:48
bandits attacked the village killing
3:50
several residents and abducting over 50
3:53
others mostly farmers who were working
3:55
on their fields eyewitnesses said the
3:58
attackers stormed the area on
4:00
motorcycles around noon shooting
4:02
indiscriminately and causing widespread
4:04
panic in response local vigilante groups
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mobilized and began chasing the fleeing
4:10
asalants however a military aircraft
4:13
deployed to the scene allegedly
4:15
misidentified the vigilantes as bandits
4:17
and launched air strikes on them we were
4:20
pursuing the bandits when we saw the
4:22
fighter jet approaching one of the
4:24
vigilantes told BBC Houseer it flew very
4:27
low and started bombing us some of us
4:30
survived by pretending we had been hit
4:33
when the jet left we got up and fled to
4:35
safety another resident who spoke on
4:38
condition of anonymity confirmed the
4:41
incident and expressed disappointment
4:42
over the lack of communication from the
4:44
military we understand it was an
4:47
unfortunate mistake but the military
4:49
should acknowledge what happened and
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reach out to the victim's families he
4:53
said he also appealed to the government
4:56
to deploy additional troops to the area
4:58
as the bandits had threatened to return
5:01
this is not the first time such an
5:03
incident has occurred in January an air
5:06
strike mistakenly killed 16 people
5:09
including vigilantes in Tangakara also
5:12
in Zanfara similarly in December last
5:15
year 10 residents of Gidden Visa in
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Sakuto state were killed in a
5:20
misdirected air strike as of the time of
5:22
filing this report the Nigerian military
5:25
has yet to issue an official statement
5:27
on the latest incident sahare reporters
5:30
news report ends in quotes abu Bakar Law
5:34
a Facebook user said "You know what
5:36
happened in Zanfara if not then let me
5:40
tell you bandits attacked a village in
5:42
Maru and abducted 50 people hearing this
5:45
the vigilantes went to rescue the people
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who were kidnapped but the Nigerian Air
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Force had another plan they mistakenly
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bombed the vigilantes resulting in the
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death of 20 of them and many feared
5:57
injured now I have a question since this
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is the second time this is happening the
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Nigeria Air Force cannot differentiate
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between bandits or vigilantes or is
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there anything they are not telling us
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another Facebook user God Jr also said
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that I don't see this as a mistake
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anymore this is the fifth time in less
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than 3 years I think how many more
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mistakes will they make before they
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learn and nobody will be punished take
6:28
cover when you see military jetsu
6:30
because anything can happen
6:38
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