Airstrike Mistake in Nigeria Claims 16 Lives Amid Ongoing Struggle Against Banditry

A military jet in Nigeria mistakenly targeted a group of civilians, resulting in the deaths of at least 16 people in the northwestern state of Zamfara. The incident, which occurred on January 12, 2025, happened as local residents were returning from mobilizing against bandits who had attacked the village of Dangebe, looting livestock and setting homes ablaze.

Witness accounts indicate that villagers from nearby areas had joined efforts to confront the armed groups—locally referred to as bandits—when the military aircraft struck them as they reached Tungar Kara village. Eyewitness Sa’idu Ibrahim reported that villagers recovered 16 bodies and rushed several others to the hospital with severe injuries. Additionally, local resident Bube Namare expressed concern that the death toll could rise as recovery efforts commenced.

This tragic event marks the second deadly accidental airstrike in recent months. In December 2023, a similar misidentification led to an air raid on a religious gathering, claiming 85 lives, predominantly women and children. Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have called for an immediate and thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding this latest airstrike, which they report may have left 20 dead.

The Nigerian military has been embroiled in a prolonged battle against criminal gangs that have terrorized communities across northwestern and central Nigeria, with residents often facing violent raids, kidnappings, and looting.