At Least 117 Reportedly Dead After Airstrike Hits Zamfara Market

At least 117 people were reportedly killed and dozens injured after a military airstrike struck Tumfa market in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State on Sunday, according to residents and local sources.

Witnesses said both civilians and suspected bandits were among the dead.

The attack came the same day another Nigerian Air Force operation targeting armed groups reportedly killed 13 civilians in Guradnayi near Kusasu in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.

Reports from Tumfa emerged late Monday due to poor telecommunications access in the area.

Residents described Tumfa market as a major trading centre located deep inside territory controlled by armed groups. Locals said civilians living in surrounding communities have long been forced to coexist with bandits who operate openly and often function as the dominant authority.

Garba Ibrahim Mashema, a community leader, said the exact number of casualties remains unclear because both residents and armed groups regularly use the market.

“The actual death toll is hard to establish at the moment. Everybody — residents and bandits — go to the market,” he said.

Aliyu Musa, a resident of nearby Zurmi town, claimed many victims were traders, food vendors and young girls selling local foods. He estimated the death toll at 117.

“To be frank, Tumfa market is under the control of bandits. It is their stronghold,” he said.

Another resident, who requested anonymity for security reasons, said the military aircraft first conducted surveillance before returning hours later to launch the strike.

He alleged that several communities in Zurmi LGA, including Fakai, Mayasa and Mashema, remain effectively outside government control.

“There is no legal authority in villages like Fakai, Mayasa and Mashema. The bandits act as judges and police,” he said.

The source added that armed groups move openly with weapons in the area, which may have influenced the military’s decision to target the market.

Residents said injured victims were taken to hospitals in Zurmi, Shinkafi and Gusau for treatment.

One resident claimed the market included locations where weapons and ammunition were allegedly traded, but insisted the strike also hit civilians caught in the area.

“As of last night, 117 people had reportedly died,” he said.

A local source said the operation also killed an unspecified number of bandits.

“But innocent citizens also suffered,” he added.

The Nigerian military denied reports that civilians were killed in the strike. Defence Headquarters spokesman Major General Michael Onoja described the claims as “not true.”

Zurmi Local Government Area has experienced years of armed attacks, kidnappings and displacement linked to bandit activity. Several communities are believed to remain under the influence or direct control of armed groups.

The incident has drawn comparisons to the April airstrike on Jilli market between Gubio and Geidam local government areas in Borno State and Yobe State, where civilians and suspected insurgents were also reportedly killed during a military operation.

Following the Zamfara strike, Amnesty International called for an independent investigation.

In a statement, the organisation said authorities must investigate what it described as “reckless attacks on civilians” and ensure accountability.

“The devastated survivors and their families deserve truth, justice and reparations,” the group said.

Security analyst Auwal Bala Durumin Iya said civilians in conflict-hit communities are increasingly trapped between armed groups and military operations.

“These civilians are living within areas occupied by bandits and they do not really have a choice,” he said.

He called for improved intelligence gathering, greater military professionalism and stronger protection for rural communities affected by insecurity.