The Northern Star Youth Empowerment Initiative (NSYEI), a Northern good governance advocacy group, has condemned the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) over an airstrike that reportedly killed at least 20 civilians, including members of the Zamfara Community Protection Guard (ZCPG), local vigilantes, and residents in Tungar Kara, Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The tragic incident occurred on Saturday during a raid targeting bandits in the area. Instead, it resulted in what the group described as the avoidable deaths of innocent civilians, leaving many others critically injured and in dire need of medical assistance.
In a statement issued in Kaduna, the NSYEI Director General, Dr. Abdullahi Idris, expressed outrage over what he called “one too many” incidents involving civilian casualties during military operations. He accused the Air Force of repeatedly failing to prevent such tragedies and stated, “The Nigerian Air Force has carved an image for itself as being more specialized in killing innocent civilians than the marauding bandits.”
Dr. Idris recalled a similar incident in Silame Local Government Area of Sokoto State last month, where scores of civilians lost their lives under similar circumstances. He also referenced other incidents in Kaduna State last year and in the North-East region, emphasizing a troubling pattern of civilian casualties in the military’s counter-insurgency efforts.
Following the Sokoto airstrike, the NSYEI had called for an independent probe to uncover the root cause of the tragedy, punish those responsible, and compensate the victims. However, Dr. Idris lamented that their calls were ignored by the authorities, leading to a repetition of such avoidable errors in Zamfara.
“Until military authorities embrace transparency and accountability in their counter-insurgency operations, innocent lives will continue to be needlessly lost,” he warned.
The group condemned what it described as the “unprofessional conduct” of the Air Force and demanded urgent action. “This must not be swept under the carpet like similar incidents in the past,” Dr. Idris stressed.
He called for an independent investigation into the Zamfara airstrike to identify those responsible, ensure accountability, compensate victims, and overhaul the military’s approach to counter-insurgency operations.
The NSYEI urged the government and military leadership to adopt measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents and ensure the safety of civilians in conflict zones.
The recent tragedy has reignited concerns over the military’s adherence to international protocols in safeguarding civilian lives during operations. Observers argue that greater accountability and reform in counter-insurgency tactics are necessary to restore public confidence in the military’s ability to protect lives while combating insecurity.
