Residents of Sokoto State were left shaken after a US airstrike targeted suspected terrorist hideouts in the area, with many initially mistaking the explosion for an air crash. "We thought it was an air crash," said Abubakar Shehu Jabo, a resident and Information Officer for Tambuwal LGA. The incident occurred around 10:30 pm, causing widespread panic and damage to nearby homes ¹ ² ³.

The airstrike, reportedly carried out by the US military in collaboration with Nigerian authorities, targeted locations believed to be hideouts of the Lakurawa terrorist group. Residents described the explosion as loud and intense, with some reporting damage to walls and roofs of nearby homes. "There was a huge explosion and everyone was terrified," said Ayuba Abdulkarim, another resident ³ ².

The Nigerian government has confirmed the airstrike, describing it as a joint operation with the US aimed at combating terrorism. The US Africa Command stated that multiple ISIS terrorists were killed in the strike, carried out at the request of Nigerian authorities ⁴ ².