By Uzair Adam
Fifteen individuals, identified as members of local vigilante groups, lost their lives on Saturday due to an accidental military airstrike in Tungar Kara and surrounding villages in Maradun and Zurmi Local Government Areas of Zamfara State.
The Daily Reality reports that over 30 others sustained injuries in the incident.
Residents disclosed that the tragedy occurred after successfully repelling bandits in two separate attacks.
According to Musa, a resident of Jan-Bako, bandits had invaded the villages on Friday but were driven away by armed locals.
“On Saturday, the bandits regrouped and returned, but we fought back and chased them out again,” Musa explained.
While villagers stationed themselves on nearby hills to monitor any potential return of the bandits, a military jet reportedly mistook them for criminals. It launched an attack, resulting in civilian casualties.
Muhammad Aminu, another local, lamented the tragedy, saying, “After chasing away the bandits, a military fighter jet bombed our people. It is devastating and deeply regrettable.”
A police officer in Maradun LGA confirmed that most victims were vigilantes and members of the Zamfara Community Protection Guards (CPG) who had been pursuing the fleeing bandits.
“Their outfits might have led to the mistaken identification as bandits,” the officer added.
The Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, extended his condolences to the victims’ families in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris.
While commending the military’s efforts against banditry, the governor described the incident as an unfortunate error.
“We pray for the repose of the souls of the deceased and will support their families,” the statement read.
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) confirmed it had carried out airstrikes targeting bandits in the area.
In a separate statement, NAF’s Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Vice Marshal Olusola Akinboyewa, said top bandit commanders were neutralized during the operation.
However, the statement did not directly address the civilian casualties, noting that precision targeting and real-time intelligence were used during the strikes.
Despite successes reported by the NAF in degrading bandit networks, locals expressed frustration over recurring civilian deaths in military operations.
This incident brings the total number of deaths from accidental military airstrikes in Nigeria over the past 11 years to 465, according to data compiled by Daily Trust.
Residents have called for enhanced intelligence-gathering to prevent further loss of civilian lives in the fight against banditry.