ZAMFARA, Nigeria (AP), At least 100 people were killed in a Nigerian military airstrike on a crowded market in Zamfara State, according to Amnesty International and local residents, though the Defence Headquarters disputes claims of mass civilian casualties.
The strike hit Tumfa market in Zurmi Local Government Area on Sunday, May 10, leaving traders, food vendors, and children among the dead. Witnesses said military jets hovered around midday before returning hours later to unleash firepower on the bustling market. Local leaders put the toll as high as 117, with dozens more injured and rushed to hospitals in Zurmi and Shinkafi.
Nigeria’s Defence Headquarters rejected reports of civilian deaths, insisting the operation was intelligence-led and targeted armed groups gathered in what it described as a terrorist enclave. Officials said “several terrorists were neutralized” but denied credible evidence of civilian casualties.
The “strike” is the reported Nigerian military airstrike on Tumfa market in Zamfara State earlier this month.
According to Amnesty International and local residents, military jets targeted the market in Zurmi Local Government Area, and over 100 civilians were allegedly killed. Witnesses described traders, food vendors, and children among the victims.
The Nigerian Defence Headquarters, however, disputes those accounts. Officials said the operation was intelligence-led and aimed at armed groups, insisting that “several terrorists were neutralized” and denying credible evidence of civilian casualties.
This conflicting narrative between rights groups and the military is what makes the story so significant. It highlights the tension between Nigeria’s counterinsurgency operations and the protection of civilian lives, especially in regions where bandits and insurgents operate close to communities.Human rights groups, however, condemned the strike as reckless. Amnesty International called for an independent investigation, saying the attack showed “disregard for civilian life.”
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar also weighed in, accusing President Bola Tinubu’s administration of failing to protect Nigerians. “A government that cannot secure its highways or markets cannot claim to govern,” Atiku said, describing Nigeria as “under siege.”
Security analysts say the incident underscores systemic weaknesses in Nigeria’s counterinsurgency strategy, where distinguishing between civilians and combatants has become increasingly difficult in areas controlled by bandits. Some observers caution that while the military insists it struck legitimate targets, repeated civilian deaths risk eroding public trust and fueling resentment.
The tragedy has drawn international attention. Rights groups warn that unchecked civilian casualties could damage Nigeria’s credibility abroad, discourage foreign investment, and destabilize the wider West African region.
For Zamfara residents, the strike turned a routine Sunday trading day into one of the deadliest episodes in recent memory. Whether civilians were collateral victims or not, the attack highlights Nigeria’s deepening security crisis where markets, highways, and villages have become battlegrounds, and where the line between protection and peril grows ever thinner.
