NAF Denies Civilian Casualties in Zamfara Airstrike, Cites Credible Intelligence

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has refuted reports of civilian casualties resulting from an airstrike on January 10, 2025, in Tungar Kara, Maradun LGA, Zamfara State.

The operation, conducted under Operation Fansan Yamma, targeted insurgents in the region but was alleged to have mistakenly killed 16 civilians, including members of the Zamfara Community Protection Guard (ZCPG) and vigilantes.

The allegations, first reported by counter-insurgency publication Zagazola Makama, claimed that vigilantes were misidentified as bandits after gunmen fled the area. Intelligence sources quoted in the report suggested that “16 dead bodies have been retrieved, but the total number of casualties is not yet clear.”

NAF’s Position on the Incident

Responding to the allegations, Air Commodore Olusola Akinboyewa, NAF’s Director of Public Relations and Information, dismissed the reports, describing them as propaganda potentially orchestrated by terrorist sympathizers seeking to discredit military efforts.

Akinboyewa emphasized that the airstrike was based on credible, verified intelligence aimed at repelling ongoing bandit attacks on villages in the area.

“As of date, we have not received any credible reports of civilian casualties being involved in this instance. Our operations are conducted with the utmost care to prevent, minimize, and mitigate harm to civilians,” he stated in a response to TheCable.

Akinboyewa assured the public that NAF operations are subject to thorough intelligence analysis and promised to keep Nigerians informed as necessary.

History of Controversial Airstrikes

This incident adds to a growing list of controversies surrounding military airstrikes in Nigeria. On December 25, 2024, airstrikes targeting the Lakurawa terrorist group in Sokoto State reportedly killed at least 10 civilians in Silame LGA.

While the military denied responsibility, citing secondary explosions at a terrorist logistics base, the Sokoto State Government contradicted the claim, announcing N20 million in relief for affected families and promising to cover medical bills for the injured.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima later apologized to the families, calling the incident a “rare but unfortunate consequence of counter-terrorism operations.”

Over the past decade, at least 19 military airstrikes have unintentionally claimed civilian lives, resulting in over 400 deaths and raising concerns about compliance with international humanitarian laws, which require the protection of civilians during armed conflict.

The Way Forward

As allegations of civilian casualties continue to surface, calls for greater precision in military operations and accountability have grown louder. While NAF maintains that its operations are guided by credible intelligence, incidents like Tungar Kara underline the need for improved measures to prevent harm to innocent civilians in the fight against insurgency.

For now, the NAF stands firm in its assertion that the airstrike in Zamfara was a “devastatingly well-coordinated” operation, with no credible evidence of civilian casualties. However, the public and international observers await further investigations to determine the truth.

Credits:
This report incorporates information from TheCable and Zagazola Makama.

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