The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has dismissed reports alleging civilian casualties during recent aerial interdiction operations in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
Military authorities through a statement on Sunday by the Director of Defense Media Operations, Maj. Gen. Michael Onoja, insisted that the strikes were precisely targeted at armed bandit enclaves based on credible intelligence.
According to reports, an unspecified number of civilians have reportedly died following a military airstrike on Guradnayi, a settlement near Kusasu in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State. Sources said the incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday, with witnesses estimating that at least 12 people were killed in one residence.
Residents said armed men on motorcycles had passed through the area while being pursued by military aircraft. “The military first threw a bomb near the river in Kusasu,” one resident said. “The second bomb was dropped at Guradnayi.” Locals say this is not the first such incident, noting previous airstrikes in Shiroro that resulted in civilian casualties but were never fully resolved.
The military said the Nigerian Army UAV Command carried out multiple airstrikes between late Saturday night and early Sunday morning on identified terrorist locations in Katerma, Bokko, Kusasu and Kuduru villages following intelligence on the movement and convergence of armed bandits in the area.
According to the DHQ, the Shiroro axis has in recent years emerged as one of the most volatile security flashpoints in Niger State, with heavily armed bandit groups using forested communities around Shiroro to launch attacks on villages, security formations and critical infrastructure. The area has witnessed repeated assaults on rural communities, mass displacements, attacks on mining routes and threats to strategic government assets, prompting sustained military offensives involving both ground troops and aerial surveillance operations.
The military said intelligence gathered before the latest operation indicated that the armed groups were planning coordinated attacks on communities and security infrastructure around Sarkin Pawa, Kuchi and Mongoro. It noted that local residents had reportedly relocated from the affected areas to safer locations before the strikes commenced.
“Contrary to the narrative being circulated, the strikes were precisely targeted at identified terrorist enclaves and achieved their intended military objectives,” the statement said.
The DHQ disclosed that about 70 bandits were neutralised in Kusasu alone, while surviving fighters were seen evacuating bodies for burial. It further revealed that over 200 armed bandits on motorcycles were later observed retreating towards Zango, while another group reportedly regrouped near Kopa, east of Mongoro, allegedly to plan further attacks.
The military maintained that the movement patterns observed after the strikes clearly indicated the presence of armed criminal elements rather than civilians.
“Post-strike intelligence assessments and verified local reports confirmed that the aerial interdiction was precise on target,” the DHQ stated, adding however that relevant military formations had been directed to investigate claims of civilian casualties, if any.
The Armed Forces of Nigeria reaffirmed its commitment to protecting law-abiding citizens and conducting operations in line with established rules of engagement and international laws governing armed conflict.
The DHQ also cautioned against the spread of what it described as unverified reports capable of undermining troop morale and emboldening criminal groups, stressing that the military would continue operations against all threats to national security with “precision, professionalism and resolve.”
