The Nigerian military has denied reports that civilians were killed during a major aerial operation carried out in the early hours of Sunday in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
According to military authorities and Niger State officials, the airstrikes targeted armed bandits and terrorist hideouts located around Kusasu, Katerma, Bokko and Kuduru communities in Shiroro, an area that has repeatedly witnessed attacks by armed groups in recent years.
Initial reports from local sources had claimed that several civilians may have died after bombs reportedly hit areas near Kusasu village. One resident alleged that about 12 people were killed inside a residence during the operation, which reportedly began around 5 a.m. on Sunday.
However, the Defence Headquarters rejected the claims, insisting that the operation was based on “credible and actionable intelligence” about the movement and gathering of armed terrorists in the area.
In a statement issued by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, the military said the Nigerian Army UAV Command conducted coordinated air interdiction strikes between late Saturday night and early Sunday morning after intelligence reports indicated that armed bandits had converged in Lukupe village and surrounding settlements within Shiroro LGA.
The military further stated that post-strike intelligence assessments showed the bombardment was successful, particularly in Kusasu village where approximately 70 bandits were reportedly neutralised. According to the statement, surviving fighters were later seen evacuating bodies of dead members of the group for burial, while hundreds of others fled toward nearby forest corridors.
Niger State Commissioner for Homeland Security, Maurice Magaji, also defended the operation, maintaining that no innocent residents were killed.
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Describing the strike as a “successful military action,” Magaji said residents had been warned ahead of the operation to evacuate vulnerable locations before the bombardment commenced. He insisted that those affected were terrorists and their collaborators.
The Defence Headquarters acknowledged that allegations of civilian casualties had surfaced after the operation but said relevant formations had been directed to verify the claims and ascertain the true situation on ground.
Shiroro and several other parts of Niger State have remained flashpoints of violent attacks by armed bandits and terrorist groups, with communities repeatedly suffering kidnappings, raids and ambushes targeting both civilians and security personnel.
