Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: John Jeff.
Nigerian military aircraft have carried out fresh airstrikes on suspected bandit enclaves in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, in what local sources described as a major offensive against armed groups responsible for repeated killings, kidnappings and raids across the state.
Residents said the operation occurred on Thursday, June 26, 2026, targeting suspected bandit hideouts in forested areas around Zurmi, one of Zamfara’s worst-hit flashpoints in Nigeria’s prolonged northwest security crisis. Multiple local accounts indicated that fighter jets conducted repeated strikes on locations believed to be used as operational camps by heavily armed gangs.
Sources within affected communities said the strikes inflicted significant losses on the bandits, with several suspected fighters reportedly killed and structures destroyed. Although the Nigerian military had not immediately released an official casualty count, locals described the operation as one of the latest in a sustained aerial campaign aimed at dismantling criminal networks operating from remote forest corridors.
However, what began as a successful anti-bandit mission was overshadowed by tragedy in Gidan Jaya community, where an explosive device—reportedly from the aerial bombardment—allegedly struck a civilian residence.
According to community sources, the explosion killed a woman and her son, while another resident sustained injuries and was rushed for treatment. The blast reportedly destroyed part of the house and triggered panic among residents, many of whom fled while fearing additional strikes.
The incident has renewed concern over civilian safety during military air operations in conflict zones. Communities in northwestern Nigeria have increasingly raised alarm about the dangers of collateral damage, particularly in areas where armed groups operate close to villages and farming settlements.
Zurmi has remained a major epicentre of violence for years. The local government area has repeatedly witnessed deadly attacks by armed bandits, including mass killings, village raids and kidnappings. In May 2026, Tumfa market in Zurmi drew international attention after reports emerged of a deadly military airstrike during an anti-bandit operation.
Human rights group Amnesty International alleged that at least 100 civilians were killed in the May 10, 2026 strike on the crowded market and called for an independent investigation. The Nigerian military, however, strongly disputed those claims, insisting the operation targeted a confirmed gathering of bandit leaders and that no credible evidence of civilian casualties had been officially established.
That earlier controversy intensified scrutiny of military air operations across northern Nigeria, especially after similar incidents in Yobe State and Sokoto State, where civilian casualties during anti-terror operations triggered national outrage and calls for improved targeting procedures.
Security analysts say the military faces a difficult challenge in Zamfara: bandit groups often operate from remote forests and sometimes move close to civilian settlements, making precision strikes more complex. They argue that while air power has degraded several criminal camps, stronger intelligence coordination between air and ground forces remains critical to reducing civilian harm.
Residents in Zurmi expressed mixed feelings following the latest operation. Many welcomed the continued military pressure on bandit groups, saying communities have suffered years of terror, extortion and displacement. Others, however, stressed that every civilian death deepens trauma and erodes public confidence in security operations.
The latest incident serves as another stark reminder of the heavy human cost of the conflict in northwestern Nigeria. Even as security forces intensify efforts to weaken armed groups, civilians continue to bear much of the suffering.
As investigations continue into the reported deaths in Gidan Jaya, residents and community leaders are calling for accountability, greater operational precision and long-term solutions that can finally bring lasting peace to Zamfara and the wider region.
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