U.S.-Nigerian Strikes Killed Dozens of Civilians, Villagers Say

Story by Adamu Aliyu Ngulde

MAIDUGURI, Nigeria—On the evening of May 16, the village of Metele in Nigeria’s Borno state was hit by a series of airstrikes carried out in coordination between the U.S. and Nigerian militaries.

“Children were playing, women were preparing meals, and there was nothing to suggest that anything unusual was about to happen,” recalled Goni Ahmed, a local resident who directly witnessed the strikes. He described a scene in which village life was suddenly destroyed by the attack. “First, we heard aircraft overhead. Shortly afterward, there were loud explosions that shook the ground. After the blasts, I could hear people shouting, crying, and calling for assistance. The sounds of panic and confusion continued for quite some time.”

Panic enveloped Metele and villagers fled their homes, not knowing if further strikes would take place. “Many people in the community still remember those days as some of the most difficult we have experienced,” Ahmed recalled.

Ali Zagina lost four relatives in the strike, and his house was destroyed. “We are in great pain, a pain I believe we will never forget,” Zagina said. “As a resident of Metele this is one of the saddest days of my life.” Zagina, his wife and his four children are now renting a home in the Gomari neighborhood of Maiduguri. “I could not recognize my house or many parts of the community because almost the entire area had been reduced to ashes,” he told Drop Site News.

https://www.dropsitenews.com/p/united-states-nigeria-iswap-borno-strikes-civilian-casualties