How military air strike killed bandits, residents in Zamfara

An air strike on Sunday by the Nigerian Air Force on a domestic animal market in Tunfa village of Zurmi, Zamfara State, killed many terrorists and civilians, residents have told PREMIUM TIMES.

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Rights group, Amnesty International, alleged that at least 100 civilians were killed in the incident, but the military disputed the claim.

However, two residents spoken to by this newspaper said no one has ascertained the number of those killed or injured during the air strike, but they included both terrorists and civilian residents.

Tunfa, an agrarian economy community, is on the Nigerian border with the Niger Republic, and its market is patronised by people from the neighbouring country, as well as Zamfara and Katsina states, especially from Shinkafi and Jibia.

On Sunday at around 12:37 p.m., residents said a military jet hovered over the village for a few minutes before dropping bombs on the market located outside the community.

Despite evidence of civilian casualties as gathered by PREMIUM TIMES, the Zamfara State Government and the Defence Headquarters insist that only terrorists were killed by the bombs.

Three people I know lost their lives, while two others got injured. All of them are from my community,’ a resident of Mashema, Dalhatu Musa, told this newspaper over the phone on Wednesday.’

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Mr Musa, a farmer, said he used to patronise the Tunfa market before the security situation worsened. He identified the three as Sa’idu Sulaiman, Lawali Hanazuwa and Maryam Anaruwa, describing them as members of his extended family. He said Maryam was a teenager who sold cooked food in the market.

“Alhaji Mola and Ibrahim Amadu are the two friends who got injured. Alhaji Mola is at the FMC in Gusua because his wounds are severe,” Mr Musa said.

Asked whether terrorists ran or attended the animal market, Mr Musa said most communities in the northern axis of Zurmi are under the control of the terrorists.

“The terrorists also patronise the market; this is something that everyone knows. But several residents also go there to buy and sell because we don’t have other options, since the government has failed to address the security situation. They go into our towns and conduct businesses, since we don’t have guns or the power to fight them, what do we do?’

Residents spoken to by PREMIUM TIMES said injured civilians have been taken to the primary healthcare centre in Mahema, the General Hospital in Zurmi, the General Hospital in Shinkafi, and the Federal Medical Centre in Gusau.

A staff member of the MSF in Zurmi, who asked not to be named, confirmed that several victims of the air strike were in the General Hospital in Zurmi. But he refused to give the number of those admitted so far.

“How could the governor say those killed were all bandits?’ a community leader from Kware village, who fled to Shinkafi town, said. ‘Our people from Kware who went to the market were affected. Some of them have been referred to FMC Gusau because they have serious injuries.”

None of those spoken to by this newspaper knows the number of those killed. ‘It’s speculative. They are not up to 100, but whatever the number, civilians were the majority. I told you that several people I know were either killed or injured,” Mr Musa added.

“To be honest with you, there were a lot of bandits in the market that day,” a resident of Zurmi town, Aliyu Alhaji-Muntari, told PREMIUM TIMES. “The soldiers must have seen the bandits with their rifles, but a lot of civilians were also there, and the soldiers should have known that this was an open civilian market.”

Mr Alhaji-Muntari said he went to the Zurmi General Hospital on Monday and saw many civilian victims with severe burns.

State government, Defence react

On Sunday, the Zamfara State Government issued a statement applauding the military over the operation.

“Governor Dauda Lawal has commended the troops of the Joint Task Force (North West) Operation Fansan Yamma for achieving significant operational successes against bandits in Zamfara State.

“The troops acted on an intelligence report that confirmed that the terrorists had converged at a concealed location in Tumfa Village, Shinkafi Local Government Area, with the intention to coordinate attacks and criminal activities targeting innocent communities in the state. The Air Component launched a precision airstrike on the identified terrorist hideout that successfully destroyed the structure, which served as the terrorists’ meeting point,” Sulaiman Bala – Idris, the governor’s spokesperson, said in the statement.

READ ALSO: Tumfa Market Airstrike: Amnesty alleges over 100 civilian deaths in Zamfara as military disputes claims

The Nigerian Defence Headquarters, through the Joint Task Force (Fansar Yamma), said the air strike in Tunfa was a successful outing against terrorists in the sub-region.

“Intelligence reports confirmed that the terrorists had converged at a concealed location in Tumfa Village, Shinkafi Local Government Area, Zamfara State. The meeting point—a building situated on the northern outskirts of the village was hidden within a densely vegetated area, shielded by thick mango trees along a stream channel. The purpose of the gathering was to coordinate attacks and criminal activities targeting innocent communities in the North West region,’ Aliyu Danja, the spokesperson for Joint Task Force (North West) Operation FANSAN YAMMA, said.

Mr Danja, a lieutenant-colonel, said a Battle Damage Assessment confirmed that several terrorists were killed during the air strike.