The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has denied reports alleging civilian casualties during a recent military operation in Zamfara State, insisting that the airstrike targeted only terrorists gathered for coordinated attacks in the North West.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, said the operation was conducted on May 10, 2026, by troops of Joint Task Force North West under Operation FANSAN YAMMA.
According to the DHQ, the strike targeted a “confirmed high-level gathering of terrorist ring leaders” at Tumfa Village in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The military explained that the location had been identified through credible and multi-source human intelligence as a coordination point for planned attacks against innocent communities across the region.
Reacting to reports circulating on various media platforms regarding casualty figures and alleged civilian deaths, the DHQ described the claims as misleading, speculative and unverified.
“The operation was an air interdiction strike, the nature of which does not permit an immediate and precise ground-level enumeration of casualties,” the statement noted.
It added that figures being reported by some local and international media outlets do not represent the official position of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
“The official position remains that several terrorists were neutralised, as confirmed by a Battle Damage Assessment conducted after the strike,” the military said.
The Defence Headquarters also dismissed allegations of civilian casualties allegedly raised by some international human rights organisations, maintained that no credible or independently verified evidence had established such claims.
According to the military, the identified target was a confirmed terrorist structure occupied exclusively by armed non-state actors posing a direct threat to civilian lives.
The DHQ further cautioned against reliance on unverified social media reports and what it described as adversarial sources capable of undermining legitimate counter-terrorism operations.
Reaffirming its commitment to professionalism and global best practices, the military stated that all operations are conducted under strict Rules of Engagement and in compliance with International Humanitarian Law, including the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution.
“Civilians are never targets, and every operational measure is taken to prevent civilian harm,” the statement added.
The DHQ disclosed that troops are still carrying out exploitation and clearance operations in the affected area and urged members of the public to rely only on verified information released through official military channels.
It assured that any confirmed incidents involving civilian casualties would be communicated appropriately in line with the directive of the Chief of Defence Staff on transparency and professionalism in military operations.
