Reported By Mary Udezue | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Abuja, Nigeria — Amid an intensifying campaign against insurgent groups in northeastern Nigeria, a recent airstrike by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) that military officials described as a “precision” operation has been linked to the deaths of many civilians in Borno State, sparking outrage from residents, human rights advocates and local authorities.
For two consecutive days, bombs believed to have been deployed by NAF jets rained down on civilian areas around Mararaba, between Kukawa and Monguno Local Government Areas, killing and injuring people who were not combatants but engaged in everyday economic activity, including commercial drivers, fishermen and farmers, according to multiple eyewitness accounts and on-the-ground reporting. These attacks occurred despite repeated assurances from military sources that operations would prioritise civilian safety. The victims were reportedly unarmed, and their deaths underscore growing concerns about the conduct and oversight of aerial counter-terrorism operations in the volatile region.
The Nigerian Air Force has publicly touted its use of precision-guided munitions in its broader campaign against Boko Haram and its splinter faction, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), as part of Operation Hadin Kai, which aims to degrade insurgent capabilities across Borno and neighbouring northeastern states. Officials have often cited intelligence-led targeting and surveillance mechanisms designed to minimise non-combatant casualties.
Just days before the deadly Mararaba incident, military spokespeople reiterated confidence in the accuracy of NAF operations, portraying precision strikes as effective tools to eliminate terror threats while safeguarding civilians. NAF statements routinely reference the deliberate use of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) assets to confirm hostile targets before strikes and to avoid collateral damage.
However, residents in the affected communities and local civil society actors have disputed these narratives, pointing to the scale of civilian harm and the choice of targets. They argue that many of those killed were far from known terrorist strongholds and were instead engaged in routine livelihoods when the bombs struck. Human rights organisations and local authorities have called for independent investigations to ascertain why civilian areas were targeted and whether proper verification protocols were followed before munitions were released.
This latest tragedy echoes past incidents in Nigeria, including both older and more recent cases where aerial attacks on suspected militant positions inadvertently killed non-combatants. While not all such operations have been directly attributed to the current NAF campaign, the broader pattern of civilian casualties has fuelled public scepticism:
In 2021, an airstrike in Kwatar Daban Masara — a village in Borno State — killed dozens of civilians at a fish market, even though the military claimed to be targeting fighters in the vicinity. Victims included market traders and village residents, prompting widespread condemnation and calls for accountability.
Nigerian authorities have sometimes denied civilian casualty reports, even as local officials and survivors challenged those denials. In other states, misidentification of targets has resulted in deaths of community members during operations initially aimed at insurgent or bandit groups.
Human rights groups emphasise that while aerial power can be an indispensable tool against insurgencies, the repeated occurrence of civilian casualties points to systemic issues in how targets are verified and how information is shared with the public. They argue that without transparent investigations and accountability, confidence in security forces’ stated precision will continue to erode.
The Nigerian Air Force has acknowledged responsibility for numerous air strikes and regularly releases figures claiming significant numbers of terrorists killed and infrastructure destroyed as a result of precision operations. In other campaigns in Borno and across northern Nigeria, the service has highlighted the elimination of senior insurgent commanders and destruction of logistics hubs, which it says has weakened extremist networks.
Yet, in the wake of civilian deaths in Borno, military spokespeople have so far been less forthcoming with details. Local government officials reported that the NAF had remained silent for days after the incident, refusing to provide casualty figures or clarity on the circumstances that led to the strikes. These communication gaps have intensified calls for accountability and for improved safeguards to protect civilians.
Families of victims, community leaders and human rights advocates have condemned the attack as disproportionate and unlawful. They emphasise that many of those killed had no links to insurgent groups and were engaged in economic activities essential for their survival.
Civil society organisations have urged the federal government to implement independent investigations and to provide compensation for affected families. Some observers warn that repeated civilian harm could undermine the very security objectives the military seeks to achieve, as communities alienated by such strikes may become less willing to cooperate with security forces or provide critical intelligence.
Borno State remains one of the epicentres of Nigeria’s long-running insurgency. Despite substantial gains by security forces, including ground offensives and aerial operations, extremist groups have shown resilience, adapting tactics and periodically carrying out lethal attacks on markets, mosques and other civilian targets. A recent suicide bombing at a mosque in Maiduguri killed several worshippers, illustrating both the persistent threat from militant actors and the complex environment in which security operations are conducted.
For many military analysts, airpower continues to be a key component of Nigeria’s strategy to degrade insurgent networks. However, the trade-off between tactical gains and strategic civilian protection has come under intense scrutiny. As calls for reform grow louder, the government faces a crucial test of balancing national security priorities with adherence to international humanitarian standards.
The Borno community’s reaction to the NAF airstrike highlights not only the human cost of protracted conflict but also the urgent need for transparent military practices, robust civilian protection mechanisms and genuine accountability in security operations. Failure to address these concerns risks deepening mistrust between government forces and the very citizens whose safety they are pledged to protect.
The incident has galvanised broader debates within Nigeria about the role of airpower in internal security, the adequacy of current operational protocols, and the importance of aligning military action with respect for human rights and civilian life.
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News Finding Credit to Wikipedia and Sahara Reporters
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