Zamfara Horror: Airstrike Meant for Bandits Kills 16 Community Defenders

An airstrike by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has left at least 16 people dead in Tungar Kara, a community in Gidan Goga district, Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

The tragedy unfolded Saturday evening when the military operation mistakenly targeted members of the Zamfara Community Protection Guard (ZCPG), local vigilantes, and residents shortly after bandits raided the area.

Eyewitnesses reported that the airstrike occurred as local vigilantes and residents mobilized to defend their community from fleeing attackers. Instead of hitting the bandits, the strike devastated those trying to protect their village.

Maharazu Salisu Gado Faru, the lawmaker representing Maradun II Constituency in the Zamfara State House of Assembly, confirmed the incident. He described the airstrike as a tragic mistake, emphasizing that it targeted local defenders instead of the armed assailants. While the confirmed death toll currently stands at 16, the exact number of casualties remains uncertain.

The Nigerian Air Force has yet to formally address the incident. However, earlier on Sunday, Air Vice Marshal Olusola Akinboyewa, spokesperson for the Air Force, released a statement highlighting the success of Operation FANSAN YAMMA—a coordinated air and ground offensive targeting the stronghold of notorious bandit leader Kachallah Bello Turji at Fakai Hills. The statement praised the operation for neutralizing dozens of bandits and freeing kidnapped victims.

This latest incident is a grim addition to a growing list of accidental airstrikes that have targeted civilians during military campaigns against bandits and jihadists in northern Nigeria.

In December 2023, an airstrike mistook a Muslim religious gathering in Kaduna State’s Tudun Biri community for bandits, killing at least 85 civilians, including women and children. Similarly, a Christmas Day bombing in Sokoto State targeted two villages, resulting in civilian casualties.

The most devastating of these errors occurred in January 2017, when a military airstrike struck a camp housing 40,000 displaced persons in Rann, Borno State, killing 112 civilians.

The Tungar Kara airstrike has reignited calls for accountability and improved precision in military operations to avoid such catastrophic errors. Many are urging the government and military authorities to review their strategies to ensure that civilians are protected during counterinsurgency efforts.

As families mourn the loss of loved ones in Zamfara, the tragedy underscores the human cost of Nigeria’s ongoing battle against banditry and insecurity.

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