Tragedy in Zamfara: 16 Lives Lost in Devastating Airstrike Attack on Community

A deadly airstrike in a Zamfara community claims 16 lives, sending shockwaves through the region. The tragic incident raises concerns over civilian safety amid ongoing conflicts.

On Saturday evening, in the Tungar Kara community of Gidan Goga district within Maradun Local Government Area, Zamfara State, a tragic incident occurred when an airstrike by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) mistakenly targeted members of the Zamfara Community Protection Guard (ZCPG), local vigilantes and residents. The unfortunate event resulted in at least 16 fatalities.

Eyewitnesses reported that the incident took place soon after armed bandits raided and escaped from the area.

Local vigilantes and residents defending their community against the attackers were reportedly caught in the airstrike.

Maharazu Salisu Gado Faru, the lawmaker for Maradun II Constituency in the Zamfara State House of Assembly, confirmed the incident.

He characterized the airstrike as unintentional, explaining that it aimed at local vigilantes who had mobilized to combat the bandits.

The lawmaker stated that the precise number of fatalities has not yet been confirmed.

The military leadership has not yet released an official statement regarding the incident.

Earlier on Sunday, the Nigerian Air Force issued a statement highlighting the successful outcome of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, an integrated air-ground attack that targeted the stronghold of infamous bandit leader Kachallah Bello Turji at Fakai Hills.

In the statement, Air Vice Marshal Olusola Akinboyewa, spokesperson for the Air Force, emphasized the operation’s success in eliminating numerous bandits and rescuing several kidnapped victims.

The Air Force characterized the mission as an important advance in reestablishing peace and security in Zamfara State.

In the past, there have been comparable incidents involving bombings of civilians during the military’s efforts to combat jihadists and bandits in the northeast and northwest.

The Zamfara incident marked the second lethal accidental airstrike affecting civilians since the December 25 bombings of two villages during a raid aimed at jihadists in the neighboring Sokoto state.

In December 2023, a Nigerian military airstrike mistakenly targeted a Muslim religious gathering in the Tudun Biri community of northwestern Kaduna state, believing it to be bandits. The attack resulted in the deaths of at least 85 people, primarily women and children.

In January 2017, a fighter jet attack on a camp housing 40,000 individuals displaced by jihadist violence resulted in the deaths of at least 112 people near Rann, close to the Cameroon border.