According to The PUNCH, Alhaji Ali Buwari, a youth leader in Buwari community, Yobe State says no military officer has visited the community since a fighter jet involved in the counter-insurgency operation in the North-East bombed the village, killing at least 8 villagers.
SaharaReporters had recently reported how a military fighter jet targeting Boko Haram accidentally bombed Buwari community.
The community is located 20 kilometres away from Kannamma, the headquarters of Yunusari Local Government Area.
Speaking with The PUNCH, the community youth leader said, “I cannot quantify the extent of the damage at this moment because we have yet to take inventory of the property destroyed by the aerial attack. We are not concerned about the property or houses destroyed because we believe it is the will of God and it was ordained by God to happen the way it happened. We are also busy with the injured victims here in the hospital. But houses were burnt down. Properties worth millions of naira were lost in the fire inferno that arose as result of the persistent firepower from the fighter jet.
“The eight people that were killed were buried in the evening of that same day in a mass grave. It will interest you to know that, when we heard that there was a metallic substance that had penetrated the ground in the village, we reported to the military but up till this moment, they have not stepped their foot into the village. Since that attack, no single soldier or policeman has gone to see the level of damage Air Force has done in our village.
“The day that unfortunate incident happened was on a Wednesday. The villagers were already prepared to go for the weekly market at Geidam. As early as 7:30am, some had set out for the market when, from nowhere, we heard the sound of an aircraft coming from the western axis and then, heavy sounds of bullets shelling everywhere. Then the jet passed through the eastern axis. Instantly, three people died. Before we knew what was happening, we heard loud cries of people as they were running helter skelter trying to hide thinking it was an attack from the insurgents.
“In the process of running to safety, some got hit by bullets, some by metallic substances while others got hit while trying to tend to the those that died from the bullet. We saw houses on fire but we were not after the houses or material things, we were more interested in saving lives of those affected.
“We immediately arranged for vehicles and began to transport the injured victims to Geidam general hospital. We transported 28 people. Among them were women and children while eight persons lost their lives.”
