Nigerian Military Airstrike Mistakenly K!lls 16 Civilians in Zamfara State

At least 16 civilians were k!lled in a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) airstrike in Zamfara State, north-western Nigeria, in what authorities have described as a tragic mistake.

The victims were reportedly members of local vigilante groups and civilians who had been defending their communities from armed criminal gangs notorious for kidnapping for ransom.

The airstrikes targeted militants in the Zurmi and Maradun areas, where security forces have been battling powerful criminal groups known as “bandits.”

These gangs have long terrorized local villages, carrying out kidnappings, extortion, and violent attacks.

The state governor, Dauda Lawal, expressed his condolences to the affected community, while the Nigerian military acknowledged that civilian casualties occurred during the operation.

The Nigerian Air Force has confirmed the airstrike, which it claims successfully targeted bandits and helped recover kidnapped victims.

However, the military expressed “grave concern” over the civilian deaths and pledged a full investigation into the incident.

“While the operation successfully eliminated several bandits and led to the recovery of some kidnap victims, the NAF views with grave concern reports of the loss of civilian lives in the course of the operation,” the NAF said in a statement.

Local sources have reported that the victims were returning to their villages after successfully chasing away the bandits when the airstrike occurred.

A local resident, Sa’idu Ibrahim, said 16 bodies were recovered from the attack, and several others were hospitalized with severe injuries.

Amnesty International condemned the airstrike, labeling it “unlawful” and calling for an immediate and impartial investigation.

“Such reckless use of deadly force is outrageous and lays bare the Nigerian military’s shocking disregard for the lives of those it is supposed to protect,” said the rights group.

This tragic incident is the latest in a series of accidental airstrikes by Nigerian security forces, which have killed civilians in recent months, raising questions about the military’s conduct and the tactics used in the fight against bandits.