Tragedy struck Tungar Kara, a community in the Gidan Goga district of Maradun Local Government Area, Zamfara State, on Saturday evening, when an airstrike by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) mistakenly hit members of the Zamfara Community Protection Guard (ZCPG), local vigilantes, and residents. The attack left at least 16 people dead.
Eyewitnesses reported that the incident occurred shortly after armed bandits raided the area and fled. The local vigilantes, who had mobilized to defend the community, were tragically caught in the airstrike.
Maharazu Salisu Gado Faru, a lawmaker representing Maradun II Constituency in the Zamfara State House of Assembly, confirmed the incident. He described the airstrike as accidental, explaining that the vigilantes were mistakenly targeted while responding to the bandit attack. He also noted that the exact death toll is yet to be confirmed.
Military authorities have yet to formally respond to the incident. However, earlier on Sunday, the Nigerian Air Force issued a statement detailing the success of Operation FANSAN YAMMA, a joint air-ground offensive targeting the hideout of notorious bandit leader Kachallah Bello Turji in Fakai Hills. According to Air Vice Marshal Olusola Akinboyewa, the operation successfully neutralized several bandits and rescued multiple kidnapped victims. The Air Force described the mission as a significant step toward restoring peace in Zamfara State.
This tragic incident highlights ongoing challenges in Nigeria’s fight against banditry and insecurity, where accidental airstrikes have previously resulted in civilian casualties.
For instance, in December 2023, a Nigerian military airstrike targeting jihadists mistakenly bombed a Muslim religious gathering in the Tudun Biri community, Kaduna State, killing at least 85 people, including women and children. Similarly, in January 2017, an airstrike on a camp in Rann, housing 40,000 displaced people near the Cameroon border, claimed at least 112 lives.
The latest tragedy in Zamfara underscores the need for improved coordination and intelligence to avoid further loss of innocent lives in the ongoing battle against insecurity in the region.
