A tragic incident unfolded on Saturday evening in the Tungar Kara community, located in the Gidan Goga district of Zamfara State’s Maradun local government area, when an airstrike by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) inadvertently struck members of the Zamfara Community Protection Guards (ZCPG), local vigilantes, and some residents.
Eyewitnesses confirmed that at least 16 individuals lost their lives in the attack.
The airstrike reportedly took place shortly after armed bandits had raided the area and retreated.
In response, residents and local vigilantes gathered to defend the community but tragically found themselves targeted by the airstrike, which had been intended to hit the fleeing bandits.
Maharazu Faru, the lawmaker representing Maradun II Constituency in the Zamfara State House of Assembly, confirmed the attack and referred to it as a “tragic accident.”
He added that the airstrike mistakenly hit local vigilantes who had mobilized to combat the bandits, though the exact number of casualties remained unverified at the time.
The Nigerian military has not yet issued an official statement regarding the incident.
However, earlier on Sunday, the Nigerian Air Force reported the success of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, an air-ground operation targeting notorious bandit leader Kachallah Bello Turji in the Fakai Hills, which led to the neutralization of several bandits and the rescue of numerous kidnapped victims.
This marks the second deadly incident involving accidental airstrikes on civilians in a short period.
On December 25, 2024, a Nigerian military airstrike in Sokoto State mistakenly hit two villages, resulting in civilian casualties during a raid aimed at jihadists. Similarly, in December 2023, an airstrike in Tudun Biri, Kaduna State, wrongly targeted an Islamic gathering, killing at least 85 people, including many women and children. In January 2017, another tragic incident occurred in Rann, Borno State, where a fighter jet hit a displaced persons’ camp, killing 112 people.
Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal expressed his condolences to the families of those affected by the airstrike, while also commending the military’s efforts in the ongoing battle against banditry in the region.
The Zamfara State government also issued a statement, expressing sympathy for the civilian victims of the Tungar Kara strike.
It clarified that the casualties were local vigilantes who were mistakenly identified as fleeing bandits from the Gidan Makera area in Zurmi Local Government Area.
The statement also praised the Nigerian Air Force’s airstrikes in the region, noting their significant success in degrading bandit operations. It emphasized the state government’s commitment to supporting the military in its fight against banditry and ensuring peace for the people of Zamfara.
Governor Lawal reiterated the government’s dedication to enhancing intelligence sharing, logistics support, and community engagement to restore normalcy to the state, while urging residents to remain vigilant and cooperate with security personnel in their efforts to combat criminality.
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