Over 100 Killed in Zamfara Airstrike Targeting Bandits

On a Sunday, the Nigerian Air Force conducted an airstrike targeting bandits in the Guradnayi settlement near Kusasu in the Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, resulting in the reported deaths of over 100 civilians. The airstrike was part of military operations against armed groups that have been controlling the area.

Garba Ibrahim Mashema, a local community leader, indicated that the exact number of casualties remains difficult to determine due to poor communication in the area. Reports suggest that the airstrike killed traders and food vendors, including a young girl selling millet porridge.

The military acknowledged that while the operation aimed to eliminate bandits, it resulted in significant civilian casualties. Major General Michael Onoja, a spokesman for the military, denied the reports of civilian deaths, stating they were not true.

The region has been plagued by banditry, with armed groups imposing levies on local communities and causing widespread destruction of farmland and livestock.