By Group Captain Sadeeq Shehu, rtd (from Sokoto).
I mark myself SAFE.
Reports of a U.S. airstrike in Sokoto State have understandably unsettled residents. I am currently in Sokoto myself—thankfully unharmed—but beyond personal relief lies a serious public-interest question that many people here are asking:
WHY JABO?
According to local knowledge and long-standing reporting patterns, Jabo, under Shagari Local Government Area, has not been known, reported, or designated as: a bandit enclave,
a terrorist hub, or a Lakurawa stronghold.
And, certainly there is no Christian genocide or Christian targeted killings in Jabo Shagari LGA of Sokoto State.
Yet the reported strike location is Jabo, a western part of the state. By contrast, documented bandit activity in Sokoto has historically concentrated more toward the eastern axis, closer to border forests and transit corridors.
This disconnect raises legitimate questions—especially when the military in question is widely regarded as high-tech and intelligence-driven.
The Questions People in Sokoto Are Asking
What intelligence pointed to Jabo?
Was there time-sensitive intelligence, a transient target, or signals intelligence that the public is unaware of?
Was there a targeting or geolocation error?
Could there have been misidentification, faulty coordinates, or degraded ISR inputs?
Was the strike aimed at a mobile target?
If the target was mobile, what corroboration existed to justify a kinetic strike in a locality with no prior threat profile?
Was Nigerian authority fully aligned and informed?
What was the command-and-control arrangement, and how was local ground verification handled?
WHY THIS MATTERS
Precision strikes are justified by precision intelligence. When a location with no known threat history becomes the site of a strike, it risks: eroding public trust, feeding misinformation and rumor, and—most critically—undermining civilian protection norms. Even the perception of an error demands clarity.
WHAT IS NEEDED NOW
Prompt clarification from competent authorities on why Jabo was selected.
Transparent explanation (within security limits) of the intelligence basis.
Assurance of civilian harm mitigation, including verification and accountability mechanisms.
People in Sokoto are not dismissing security threats; they are asking for logic, evidence, and accountability.
Until those questions are answered, one refrain will persist across the state:
WHY JABO? WHY SOKOTO OF ALL PLACES IN NIGERIA CURRENTLY PLAGUED BY TERRORISM? IS THIS A SYMBOLIC STRIKE ON THE “SEAT OF THE CALIPHATE”?
