NOT less than three civilians dies from all sorts of air assaults every day in the last five years, data has shown.
The statistics obtained from a global think tank which focused on disaggregated conflict data collection, the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED) revealed that 6,660 civilians died in a series of air strikes and drone attacks between 2020 and 2024.
According to the data analysed by The Explainer, 1540 Nigerians were killed in these attacks in 2020.
Although the mortality toll dropped drastically to 913 in 2021, 2022 was sordid year for many families as deaths from air attacks surged to 1535.
There was not much reduction as the death rate dwindled to 1351 in 2023.
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However, between January to December 25, not less than 1321 lives were lost to air strikes and drone attacks.
Media report on Wednesday, earlier noted that airstrikes conducted by the air component of Operation Hadarin Daji (OPHD) targeting the Lakurawa terrorist group had mistakenly killed civilians in the Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa communities of Sokoto State.
The reports quoted sources claiming that the airstrikes left over 10 villagers dead, with several others sustaining various injuries.
However, Abubakar Abdullahi, the joint media coordinator for the operation, in a statement said the airstrikes were targeted at locations confirmed to be associated with the Lakurawa terrorist group.
