Several people were reportedly killed in an 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 neighbours in Tungar Kara village, which had come under attack by bandits.

According to Umar, the vigilante group mobilised 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 mobilised to protect our neighbours, but tragically, the aircraft targeted the vigilantes instead of the fleeing bandits. It’s heartbreaking,” Umar alleged.

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.

Meanwhile, PUNCH Online reported in November 2024 that the Nigerian Air Force said airstrikes conducted in Zamfara State killed numerous bandits, including key loyalists of the notorious bandit leaders, Dan-Isuhu and Dogo Sule.

Similarly, four days ago, on January 8, 2025, troops of the same Operation Fansan Yamma reportedly killed a notorious terrorist leader, Sani Rusu, and scores of his foot soldiers during a gunfight in Bamamu village, Tsafe Local Government Area of Zamfara State.

Racoon:
No well defined coordinates of the exact location of these bastards called bandits/terrorists? Why is the innocent always the victims of the air force straffings? So much lives being needlessly lost.

proeast:
If this is true and the victims happen to be innocent villagers, then I won't blame Northerners if they accuse the iragbiji man of ethnic cleansing. These same aerial bombardment of villages and massacring of villagers have happened in Kaduna, Sokoto and Zamfara etc in quick succession!

Coupled with his anti north policies and confrontations, it begins to appear highly suspicious 🤔

PresidObi:
The federal government has failed woefully in securing Nigeria. They now use the expensive aircrafts they bought with federal resources to bomb innocent Nigerians more than the terrorists.

For those that will come and blame the people of the north for supporting crime because they know the bandits and the bandits live among them, God will judge you.

TimeManager:
Are media sympathetic to terrorism in Nigeria?. Do you think Airforce drops missiles without proper ISR?. Terrorists use civilians as a cover, don't be deceived by the antics.

God bless Nigerian Airforce.

-Kiss the truth!

proeast:
If this is true and the victims happen to be innocent villagers, then I won't blame Northerners if they accuse the iragbiji man of ethnic cleansing. These same aerial bombardment of villages and massacring of villagers have happened in Kaduna, Sokoto and Zamfara etc in quick succession!

Coupled with his anti north policies and confrontations, it begins to appear highly suspicious 🤔

proeast:
If this is true and the victims happen to be innocent villagers, then I won't blame Northerners if they accuse the iragbiji man of ethnic cleansing. These same aerial bombardment of villages and massacring of villagers have happened in Kaduna, Sokoto and Zamfara etc in quick succession!

Coupled with his anti north policies and confrontations, it begins to appear highly suspicious 🤔

Racoon:
No well defined coordinates of the exact location of these bastards called bandits/terrorists? Why is the innocent always the victims of the air force straffings? So much lives being needlessly lost.