Fear and Confusion Grip Nigerian Village After U.S. Strike; Residents Deny ISIS Presence
KANO, Nigeria (FN) — Fear and confusion spread through a remote village in northern Nigeria after a U.S. military strike killed several people this week, with residents insisting the area has no history of Islamic State activity and demanding answers from both American and Nigerian authorities.
The strike, carried out late Tuesday, targeted what U.S. officials described as an “ISIS‑affiliated threat.” But villagers in Gadar Bako, a farming community surrounded by millet fields and grazing land, said the victims were herders and traders with no ties to extremist groups.
“We woke up to explosions and people running,” said Musa Ibrahim, a shopkeeper who said two cousins were killed. “There are no ISIS fighters here. We don’t understand why this happened.”
Local leaders said the region has struggled with banditry and sporadic clashes between herders and farmers, but has never been linked to Islamic State West Africa Province, the ISIS‑aligned group active farther northeast.
Nigerian officials expressed frustration at the lack of information. A senior security official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to comment publicly, said the government had requested clarification from Washington about the intelligence behind the strike.
“We cannot have foreign forces operating in our territory without transparency,” the official said. “If civilians were killed, this is a serious matter.”
Members of the international community also voiced concern. The European Union’s delegation in Nigeria called for “a thorough and credible investigation,” saying civilian protection must remain a priority in counterterrorism operations. A spokesperson for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said the incident underscored “the urgent need for safeguards to prevent harm to communities already living with insecurity.”
Human rights groups echoed those concerns. “Mistaken strikes fuel resentment and undermine trust,” said Aisha Danladi, a researcher with a Nigerian civil‑society organization. “Communities need protection, not more trauma.”
In Washington, U.S. Africa Command confirmed an operation in the region but provided few details, saying only that it was aimed at “preventing an imminent threat.” It did not address reports of civilian casualties.
As villagers buried the dead, many said they feared further attacks — not from militants, but from forces claiming to target them.
“We are simple people,” Ibrahim said. “We just want to live in peace.”
