By SUNTV Global News | January 2, 2026
The Nigerian military has raised serious safety concerns after explosive materials were allegedly taken by civilians from the site of a U.S. Christmas Day airstrike in Jabo community, Sokoto State, urging residents to return any such items immediately to security authorities.
Speaking to journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, said the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) was alarmed that highly sensitive and dangerous materials from the blast scene had been removed by unauthorised individuals.
According to Onoja, civilians are neither trained nor authorised to handle explosive remnants, stressing that only specialised military units are mandated to recover and safely neutralise such devices.
“We can only appeal to them to return all materials that may prove harmful to them,” Onoja said. “We do not expect anybody to take away these materials. There are formations within the armed forces whose duty it is to recover and disarm them.”
The senior military officer called on the media to help amplify the message, urging anyone in possession of suspicious or explosive items to return them to nearby military formations or recognised security locations to prevent accidents and loss of lives.
“We want this message disseminated widely so that these materials can be returned and disarmed before they cause greater damage to those who took them and to members of the public,” he added.
The appeal comes amid heightened security concerns across parts of Nigeria, where terrorist activities and the circulation of illicit weapons continue to pose threats to communities.
Meanwhile, the Sokoto State Government has confirmed that no civilian casualties were recorded following the joint Nigerian–U.S. airstrike targeting terrorist enclaves in Tangaza Local Government Area.
In a statement issued by the Director-General of Media and Publicity, Government House, Sokoto, Abubakar Bawa, the government said investigations and post-strike assessments were still ongoing.
“The impact of the airstrike could not be immediately determined as assessment reports from the Joint Operations are still being awaited,” the statement said.
The government also addressed public concerns over the discovery of suspicious objects near Jabo town, noting that conclusions would only be reached after detailed analysis by Nigerian and U.S. military authorities.
Bawa emphasised that despite ongoing investigations in both Tangaza and Jabo communities, no civilian deaths were recorded, reaffirming the state government’s commitment to supporting security agencies as operations continue.
Residents were urged to cooperate fully with security agencies and report any suspicious objects as investigations are concluded.
SUNTV Global Channel will continue to monitor and report developments on this story.
