At least 72 people were reportedly killed after a military air strike hit Tumfa market in Zurmi LGA of Zamfara State on Sunday.
According to AFP which cited a community leader, some of the victims’ bodies were “blown beyond recognition.”
“The actual death toll is hard to establish at the moment. Everybody, residents and bandits, goes to the market. People are at the mercy of the bandits. There is nothing they can do,” AFP reported Garba Ibrahim Mashema as saying.
This is as Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Waidi Shaibu, reaffirmed the Nigerian Army’s commitment to defend Nigeria’s constitution as it tackles the country’s insecurity.
Tumfa market is reportedly controlled by bandits and some of those killed were young girls selling millet porridge and tofu in the market.
Amnesty International has put the death toll at over 100, stating that one affected village buried 80 people at once. The military has denied reports of civilian casualties, describing them as “not true.” Another air strike in Niger state reportedly killed 13 civilians.
It added that dozens of injured victims were receiving treatment following the air strike.
“The authorities must investigate these deadly strikes, and put an end to reckless attacks on civilians,” Amnesty International said.
“In parts of the north facing conflicts, civilians have borne the brunt of suffering far too often. These horrific deaths must not be overlooked. The devastated survivors and their families deserve truth, justice and reparations.
“Military aircrafts bombed the weekly market, at one point, it was full of people and without warning. The scene was chaotic. There were screams, blood, and bodies all over the ground. Those who survived with injuries were evacuated to general hospitals in Zurmi and Shinkafa, while those severely injured are receiving treatment at Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital Gusau.”
AFP said the Zamfara missile launch occurred on the same day another Nigerian Air Force (NAF) operation targeting bandits in Niger state killed 13 civilians.
Michael Onoja, defence headquarters spokesperson, told AFP that reports of civilian casualties in Zamfara were “not true.”
The military also denied reports that innocent civilians were killed in the Niger state air strike, although it said the incident would be investigated.
Shaibu spoke yesterday at the opening ceremony of the Nigerian Army Project Management Workshop held at the Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering (NASME), Makurdi.
The COAS, who was represented by Force Commander, Operation Whirl Stroke, Maj.-Gen. Moses Gara, pledged the army’s unalloyed loyalty to the constitution in carrying out its operational responsibilities.
He lauded the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, President Bola Tinubu, for his unflinching support to the Nigerian Army.
According to him, the multiple achievements so far recorded in combating terrorism, banditry, and other unscrupulous elements across the country are significantly attributable to improved personnel welfare.
“The unwavering willingness of our personnel to engage in combat is directly linked to the care and responsibility for their well-being. This entails purposeful commitment to the welfare of our troops and their families.
“Key welfare packages include the construction and rehabilitation of infrastructure across Nigerian Army formations and units, ranging from accommodation and office complexes to training schools, medical facilities, and other essential structures within the barracks.
“Sustaining this drive and providing adequate facilities depend entirely on efficient project planning and management. I am personally committed to supporting all the initiatives that enhance the well-being and working environment of our personnel.
“I am pleased that the objective of this workshop aligns perfectly with my desire to improve mutual trust, foster unity of purpose through teamwork, and advance the welfare of the Nigerian Army officers and soldiers,” he said.