US Airstrike in Sokoto Misses Mark, Hits Empty Field Near Hospital

A high-profile military operation conducted by the United States Africa Command on Christmas night has come under intense scrutiny following reports that the mission failed to hit any intended targets. While the U.S. military framed the strike as a decisive blow against ISIS operatives in Northwest Nigeria, local accounts suggest the missiles landed harmlessly in an open field, narrowly avoiding a medical facility.

Ladan Salihu, the former Director-General of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, raised the alarm over the accuracy and intelligence backing the mission. According to Salihu, the strike occurred in Jabo village, located within the Tambuwal local government area of Sokoto State. He described the event not as a strategic victory, but as a potential intelligence failure that could have ended in a humanitarian disaster.

The operation was initially confirmed by AFRICOM, which stated via social media that the strikes were executed in close coordination with the Nigerian government. U.S. officials portrayed the mission as a demonstration of military might and a clear signal of their resolve to dismantle global terrorist networks. However, the narrative from the ground in Jabo paints a vastly different picture of the night’s events.

Salihu revealed that he held a direct conversation with Bashar Isah Jabo, a member of the Sokoto State House of Assembly, who visited the site shortly after the explosions. The lawmaker confirmed that the missiles impacted a deserted plain. Most alarmingly, the impact zone was situated only 300 meters away from a local hospital, raising questions about the “precision” nature of the American weaponry used in the assault.

There were no reported casualties or injuries among the civilian population. Villagers who rushed to the scene found only a large crater and metallic fragments of the ordnance. No homes were destroyed, and the local infrastructure remained intact. While the lack of bloodshed is a relief to the community, it has fueled skepticism regarding the validity of the original target.

According to the reports gathered from the village, Jabo has remained a peaceful enclave throughout 2025. Local records and testimonies suggest that the area has not been a flashpoint for ISWAP activity or the farmer-herder conflicts that have plagued other parts of the region. This lack of known insurgent presence has led critics to wonder why the village was selected as a coordinate for a heavy airstrike.

Salihu questioned whether the operation was an authentic attempt to neutralize a threat or a performative gesture intended for international headlines. He argued that while international cooperation in the fight against terror is essential, such operations must be rooted in flawless intelligence to avoid eroding public trust or causing “collateral” damage to innocent lives.

The discrepancy between AFRICOM’S claims of a successful mission and the reality of an empty crater has prompted calls for transparency. Salihu urged the Nigerian Defence Headquarters to launch a formal investigation into the incident. He emphasized that the public deserves a clear and honest report regarding why foreign missiles were deployed in a seemingly peaceful civilian zone.

The incident highlights the ongoing tension between high-tech surveillance and the ground-level reality of counter-terrorism in the Sahel. For the residents of Jabo, the Christmas night strike was not a moment of liberation from terror, but a terrifying brush with an invisible enemy and an inaccurate ally. The hospital, which remains standing, serves as a silent reminder of how close the mission came to a different kind of headline.

As the Nigerian government continues to partner with Western powers to secure the northern borders, the Jabo incident serves as a cautionary tale. It underscores the necessity of verifying human intelligence before authorizing kinetic action. Without such safeguards, critics argue, the war on terror risks becoming a series of expensive mistakes that do little to stop insurgents while keeping local populations in a state of constant fear.