The Nigerian military has dismissed reports alleging that more than 100 people were killed during an airstrike in Zamfara State, insisting that there is “no credible evidence” showing civilians were affected.
The reports, which surfaced on Tuesday, claimed that scores of residents died after a military operation targeting insurgents hit a community in the state.
Amnesty alleges women, traders among victims
Rights organisation Amnesty International alleged that many of the victims were women and girls trading at a local market during the strike.
According to the organisation, one affected village reportedly buried about 80 people at once following the incident.
Amnesty also stated that dozens of injured persons were taken to hospitals in Zurmi and Shinkafi, while others were referred to Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital in Gusau for treatment.
Defence Headquarters denies civilian deaths
Reacting to the reports, the Defence Headquarters denied that civilians were killed during the operation.
Defence spokesperson, Michael Onoja, said the strike targeted a “confirmed high-level gathering” of militant leaders based on intelligence gathered from multiple sources.
According to him, the operation was conducted in compliance with international humanitarian law.
“No credible, substantiated evidence of civilian casualties has been established through any official assessment or independent verification,” Onoja said.
He added that the military’s post-strike assessment indicated that “several terrorists were neutralised.”
Fresh concerns over military airstrikes
The development has renewed concerns over civilian protection and intelligence accuracy during military operations in northern Nigeria.
The latest controversy comes barely weeks after another reported airstrike in Jilli, located on the Borno-Yobe border, allegedly killed several civilians in April 2026.
Previous operations in Zamfara and other northern states have also triggered disputes over whether those killed were terrorists, vigilantes or civilians.