The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has dismissed reports alleging mass civilian deaths following a recent airstrike in Zamfara State.
Clarifying that there is no credible evidence of civilian casualties, the DHQ noted that the clarification follows conflicting accounts of an operation conducted by the military in the Zurmi Local Government Area.
Addressing journalists on Wednesday, Major General Michael Onoja, Director of Defence Media Operations, stated that the air interdiction targeted a confirmed high-level gathering of terrorist leaders in Tumfa Village.
While some international organizations and local sources including Amnesty International and AFP claimed that between 72 and 100 civilians were killed at a local market, the DHQ maintains these figures are speculative and unverified.
According to the military, the operation was executed by the Joint Task Force North-West, known as Operation Fansan Yamma, based on multi-sourced intelligence.
The strike was intended to neutralize armed elements planning attacks on various communities.
Major General Onoja explained that the nature of the aerial interdiction made immediate ground verification difficult, but he emphasized that post-strike assessments confirmed several terrorists were neutralized without evidence of collateral damage.
The military further reaffirmed its commitment to international humanitarian law and the rules of engagement, stating that civilians are never deliberate targets.
The DHQ urged the public and media to rely on official briefings rather than adversarial sources or unverified social media reports that could undermine counter-terrorism efforts.