Several people were reportedly killed in an alleged airstrike in Kakindawa village, Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
Garba Umar, a resident of the area, told The PUNCH that the incident occurred on Saturday evening as local vigilantes were heading to assist neighbors in Tungar Kara village, which had come under attack by bandits.
According to Umar, the vigilante group mobilized after receiving reports of bandits rustling livestock and attempting to abduct villagers.
“As we were heading to Tungar Kara around 3:30 pm, an aircraft suddenly appeared in the area and dropped a bomb on the vigilantes.
The bandits had already escaped into the forest,” Umar recounted.
He alleged that 16 people, including his own son, were killed in the airstrike.
“We mobilized to protect our neighbors, but tragically, the aircraft targeted the vigilantes instead of the fleeing bandits.
It’s heartbreaking,” Umar said.
Reacting to the incident, the spokesperson for Operation Fansan Yamma, Lieutenant Colonel Abubakar Abdullahi, told The PUNCH on Sunday morning that he would investigate the matter and provide further details.
“I will look into what actually happened and get back to you,” Abdullahi said.
However, as of the time of filing this report, no additional information had been provided.
This incident comes amid ongoing military operations against banditry in Zamfara State.
In November 2024, PUNCH Online reported that Nigerian Air Force airstrikes in Zamfara State killed numerous bandits, including key loyalists of notorious bandit leaders Dan-Isuhu and Dogo Sule.
Similarly, just four days ago, on January 8, 2025, troops of Operation Fansan Yamma reportedly killed a notorious terrorist leader, Sani Rusu, and several of his foot soldiers during a gunfight in Bamamu village, Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
