DHQ Blasts ‘False’ Civilian Casualty Claims in Zamfara Airstrike, Says Terrorists Were Crushed

By Zainab Uzomah|Abuja

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has fiercely rejected reports alleging civilian casualties and conflicting death figures following a major air-land operation carried out by troops of the Joint Task Force (North West), Operation FANSAN YAMMA, in Zamfara State.

In a strongly worded statement issued on Tuesday, the DHQ described the reports circulating across local and international media platforms as “misleading,” “speculative,” and “completely unverified,” insisting that the military operation specifically targeted a confirmed gathering of notorious terrorist kingpins at Tumfa Village in Shinkafi Local Government Area.

According to the statement signed by Major General Michael Onoja, the strike, conducted onMay 10, was based on credible multi-source intelligence which identified the location as a coordination hub for planned attacks against communities across the North-West.

The military stressed that the operation was an air interdiction strike, making it impossible to immediately determine exact casualty figures on the ground, contrary to numbers being circulated in some reports.

“The official position remains that several terrorists were neutralised, as confirmed by a Battle Damage Assessment conducted after the strike,” the DHQ stated.

The military high command also dismissed allegations of civilian casualties being promoted by some international human rights organisations and media outlets, insisting that no credible evidence has established that civilians were harmed during the operation.

It maintained that the target location was a “confirmed terrorist structure” occupied solely byarmed non-state actors posing a direct threat to innocent civilians in the region.

The DHQ accused purveyors of such claims of relying on “unconfirmed social media reports and adversarial sources” capable of undermining legitimate counter-terrorism operations.

Reaffirming its commitment to professionalism, the Armed Forces of Nigeria said all operations are conducted under strict Rules of Engagement and in compliance with International Humanitarian Law, including the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution.

The statement further noted that civilians are never deliberately targeted and that all necessary operational measures are taken to prevent collateral damage during military engagements.

The military added that ground troops are continuing exploitation and clearance operations in the affected area while urging the public to rely only on verified information released throughofficial DHQ channels.

It assured Nigerians that any confirmed incidents involving civilian casualties would be transparently communicated in line with directives on accountability and professionalism in military operations.