| Attack killed 100 civilians, must be investigated – Amnesty International | It’s a known bandits’ hideout – Govt | Many women among 100 killed–Resident
Controversy has continued to trail the bombing of a market in Zamfara State carried out by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), with conflicting accounts emerging over the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Residents of Tumfa village in Zurmi Local Government Area accused the Nigerian Air Force of killing about 100 people during an airstrike that struck the village market on Sunday. According to residents, the market was crowded with buyers and sellers when the strike occurred.
A resident, who spoke in Hausa during a telephone interview, said the airstrike came without warning and claimed that many of those killed were women who made up the majority of traders at the market.
“The incident occurred while people were trading at the Tumfa village market, and most of those who lost their lives were women,” the resident said.
He added that several injured victims were evacuated to General Hospitals in Zurmi and Kaura Namoda for treatment, while rescue efforts were still ongoing to determine the actual casualty figure.
Govt Insists Area Was Bandits’ Hideout
However, the Zamfara State Government maintained that the location was a known hideout for armed bandits.
The special adviser on security to the Zamfara State governor, Ahmed Danmanga, said the government was unaware that a market existed in the area.
“The state government was not aware of the market,” Danmanga said. “The area is a hideout for bandits.”
Meanwhile, the chairman of Zurmi Local Government Council and Zamfara State chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Hon. Samaila Hussaini Moriki, said investigations were ongoing into the incident.
“The matter at hand is that we are still investigating. Until then, I will call you back,” Moriki said.
Tumfa village has remained one of the major hotspots of banditry and armed attacks in Zamfara State, with frequent clashes between security forces and armed groups operating in the area.
LEADERSHIP reports that this is the second such bombing of a crowded market within one month.
Pattern Of Deadly Airstrikes
On April 11, more than 100 civilians were reportedly killed in a similar airstrike on a weekly market in Jilli, Yobe State. The military claimed it had carried out a successful strike on a bandits’ location, but following public outcry, the Air Force subsequently opened an investigation into the incident.
Residents in northern Nigeria have increasingly expressed concern over civilian casualties resulting from military operations targeting bandits and insurgents.
The Nigerian Air Force has, on several occasions, admitted to “accidental” or “mistaken” airstrikes that resulted in civilian casualties between 2017 and 2025. Such incidents were often attributed to wrong coordinates or misidentified targets during counter-insurgency operations.
