(DDM) – Nigerian Air Force airstrikes targeting suspected Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters in Borno State have reportedly resulted in the deaths of several civilians, raising fresh concerns over the conduct of counterinsurgency operations.
Security sources disclosed that the airstrikes were carried out between early morning and late afternoon in the Mararaba area of Kukawa Local Government Area, a region close to Lake Chad that has witnessed repeated clashes between insurgents and security forces.
According to accounts given to journalists, the operation was intended to neutralize ISWAP elements believed to be operating around key routes linking Kukawa to Marte Local Government Area.
However, the strikes allegedly hit an area where fishermen and commercial transport operators had gathered, leading to civilian casualties and destruction of property.
The affected civilians were reportedly fishermen returning from fishing activities and commercial drivers waiting at a terminus to transport fish products and passengers to surrounding communities.
Sources said the gathering point was located along a junction connecting the road to Daban Masara in Kukawa and Badeiri in Marte LGA, a known transit corridor for local trade.
A security source confirmed that while the exact number of civilians killed remains unclear, casualties were significant enough to cause panic and grief within nearby communities.
The same source disclosed that at least three civilian deaths had been confirmed, with more feared dead, while no fewer than ten vehicles were destroyed in the incident.
Some of the injured were reportedly rushed to the General Hospital in Monguno for emergency medical treatment as local residents struggled to respond to the aftermath of the strikes.
The incident reportedly occurred only hours after the Nigerian Air Force publicly reaffirmed its commitment to protecting civilian lives during ongoing military operations, particularly those supported by international partners such as the United States.
This timing has further fueled public concern and criticism, especially among residents of conflict-affected communities who have repeatedly complained about civilian harm during air operations.
A serving Nigerian Air Force pilot also confirmed knowledge of the incident, stating that it was discussed during a military briefing held the same day in a North-Western state.
Despite these confirmations, the Nigerian Air Force has yet to issue an official statement addressing the reports, the number of casualties, or the circumstances surrounding the strike.
The silence has sparked renewed debate over transparency, accountability, and intelligence gathering in Nigeria’s long-running war against Boko Haram and its ISWAP faction.
Borno State has been the epicenter of insurgency for over a decade, with airstrikes forming a critical component of the military’s strategy to degrade terrorist camps and supply routes.
While such operations have led to the killing of many insurgents over the years, they have also been marred by repeated allegations of accidental civilian casualties.
Human rights groups and civil society organizations have consistently called for thorough investigations into such incidents and for improved safeguards to prevent harm to non-combatants.
DDM observed that incidents like this continue to strain trust between local communities and the military, even as residents rely heavily on security forces for protection against insurgent violence.
As pressure mounts for official clarification, families of the victims and community leaders are demanding accountability, compensation, and assurances that similar tragedies will not recur.
The reported airstrike has once again highlighted the difficult balance between aggressive counterterrorism operations and the protection of civilian lives in Nigeria’s protracted conflict in the North-East.
