DHQ cautions residents against picking unexploded ordnance from US strikes on ISIS

The defence headquarters has cautioned residents against picking or keeping unexploded ordnance from the sites hit during joint US air strikes in Sokoto state.

The US fired 16 precision-guided munitions (PGMs) at the terrorists in Sokoto on Christmas Day, targeting two major enclaves in the Bauni forest axis of Tangaza LGA.

But some of the debris fell in Offa, Kwara state, causing communities in the area to report explosions at the same time the US launched the air strikes in Sokoto.

The attacks were at the request of the Nigerian government, the presidency had said.

Michael Onoja, director of defence media operations, on Friday told journalists that specialised ordnance units within the armed forces were tasked with recovering debris and other remnants from the strikes.

“We do not expect civilians to pick up or keep such materials,” he said, adding, “we can only appeal to them to return all materials that may prove harmful to them.”

The appeal came as clips online showed residents scavenging debris and unexploded ordnance at strike sites in Sokoto, sparking fears of deadly blasts.

In Kwara, an undetonated explosive device was reportedly discovered at one of the two sites of the blasts, prompting heightened security measures.