Fear and confusion grip Nigerian village after US strike, locals deny ISIS presence
Residents of a small village in northwestern Nigeria are struggling to make sense of a US missile strike that landed near their community, with locals insisting the area has no history of ISIS activity.
A day after part of a projectile fired by the United States hit Jabo village in Sokoto state, fear and confusion continue to dominate the quiet farming community. The missile reportedly landed just metres away from the village’s only medical facility, sending residents fleeing in panic late Thursday night.
Suleiman Kagara, a local resident, told CNN he heard a loud explosion around 10 p.m. and saw flames streak across the sky before the projectile crashed into a nearby field.
“We couldn’t sleep all night,” Kagara said. “We’ve never experienced anything like this.”
At the time, villagers were unaware the blast was linked to a US military operation. Hours later, President Donald Trump announced that the United States had carried out what he described as a “powerful and deadly strike” against ISIS militants in the region, calling it a “Christmas present” for terrorists.
US Africa Command said the operation resulted in the neutralization of multiple ISIS fighters.
However, the explanation has left residents of Jabo questioning why their village was affected. While parts of Sokoto state have faced insecurity linked to banditry, kidnappings and armed groups such as Lakurawa — which Nigerian authorities classify as a terrorist organization due to alleged Islamic State ties — locals say Jabo has never been associated with terrorist activity.
“In Jabo, Christians and Muslims live together peacefully,” Kagara said. “We see Christians as our brothers. There are no religious conflicts here.”
A Nigerian police bomb disposal unit later inspected the impact site, which officials said was located around 500 metres from a primary health centre. No injuries were reported.
Bashar Isah Jabo, a lawmaker representing Tambuwal district in the Sokoto State House of Assembly, described Jabo as a “peaceful community” with “no known history of ISIS, Lakurawa or any other terrorist groups operating in the area.”
He added that although the strike caused no physical harm, it had created widespread fear and anxiety among residents, many of whom are still trying to understand how their village became linked to an international military operation.
Authorities have not yet provided further details on why the strike occurred near Jabo, as investigations into the incident continue.
