A Nigerian hotel owner said that three of his staff were hospitalised with injuries after debris from munitions fell on his hotel following US airstrikes targeting militants in northwest Nigeria.
The surprise US raid on Christmas Day targeted militants linked to the Islamic State group, according to sources in Abuja and Washington.
The federal government had acknowledged that debris from the munitions fell in various locations, including “in Offa, Kwara State, near the premises of a hotel,” but stated that there were no civilian casualties.
However, the owner of the Solid Worth Hotel in Offa, approximately 800 kilometres from the strike targets in Sokoto’s Tangaza district, told AFP that three workers were injured after what appeared to be a missile hit the hotel.
“Suddenly on Christmas Day, around late evening past 10 pm, a bomb missile allegedly shot by the US military—maybe it misrode and hit my hotel,” said Taofeek Bello.
“It landed inside the hotel building, caused a little bit of damage, injured three staff,” he added.
Bello said one worker suffered what he described as a “traumatic” injury and was rushed to a psychiatric hospital. Another sustained a severe head injury, while a third was injured in the legs and lap; all three remain hospitalised.
Daniel Bwala, a spokesman for President Bola Tinubu, told AFP on Monday, Dec. 29, that “there were no casualties except the terrorist(s).”
Bello explained that the debris hit an unoccupied room of the 22-room, two-star hotel before landing outside.
Photographs he shared with AFP appeared to show a missile head being examined and collected by security forces. Only two rooms were occupied at the time, and no guests were injured.
Kwara State police told AFP that “as of this moment, there are no details yet. Investigations are ongoing.”