By Ayodele Oni
Again, an airstrike by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) in Zamfara State has mistakenly struck members of the Community Protection Guard (ZCPG), local vigilantes, and residents in Tungar Kara, a village in Maradun Local Government Area.
Report indicates that the incident occured on Saturday evening.
The attack, which occurred following a bandit raid, was said to have left at least 20 people dead and dozens more injured, many of whom are in critical condition without access to immediate medical care.
Members of the ZCPG and local vigilantes in the region have played a crucial role in fighting banditry, often stepping in to protect communities where formal security forces are absent or scarce
Tungar Kara residents have expressed deep grief and anger over the attack, calling for an independent investigation into how the airstrike went astray.
The incident has also drawn widespread condemnation, with residents expressing outrage over the mistaken strike.
According to Bakatsine, a banditry analyst in the region, the airstrike was likely part of a larger military operation aimed at targeting bandit hideouts in the area.
“However, the vigilantes, who had mobilized to defend the community after the bandit attack, were inadvertently caught in the strike.
“Sixteen bodies have been recovered so far, but the total number of casualties may rise as recovery efforts continue,” Bakatsine said on his X page.
“This tragic error has claimed the lives of those who were actively working to protect their community.”
Amnesty International has condemned the attack, urging the Nigerian authorities to immediately and impartially investigate the airstrike.
“The Nigerian authorities must immediately and impartially investigate the Saturday evening air strike that killed at least 20 people at Tungar Kara village of Maradun LGA Zamfara state. Dozens of people injured are currently in critical condition — without access to medical care.
Amnesty International wrote on X “The Nigerian authorities’ consistent failure to hold the military to account is encouraging impunity and increasingly endangering the lives of the civilians the military is supposed to be protecting.”
Similar incident happened on last Christmas day, when air strikes hit two communities of Silame area of Sokoto state, killing at least 10 people.
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