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The Defence Headquarters has dismissed reports alleging civilian casualties following an air-land operation conducted by troops of the Joint Task Force (North West), Operation FANSAN YAMMA, in Zamfara State.
The operation, carried out on May 10, 2026, reportedly targeted a gathering of terrorist leaders at Tumfa Village in Shinkafi Local Government Area.
In a statement issued by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, on X and cited by PUNCH Online on Thursday, the military said the strike was based on credible intelligence gathered from multiple sources.
“The operation targeted a confirmed high-level gathering of terrorist ring leaders… a location verified by credible, multi-source human intelligence as a coordination point for planned attacks,” the statement said.
The Defence Headquarters explained that the mission was an air interdiction strike, noting that such operations do not allow for immediate ground-level confirmation of casualty figures.
“The nature of which does not permit an immediate and precise ground-level enumeration of casualties,” the statement added.
The military said reports circulating in the media regarding casualty figures were unverified and should be disregarded.
“The varying figures presently in circulation, including those attributed to international and local media outlets, are speculative, unverified, and do not represent the official position of the Armed Forces of Nigeria,” it said.
According to the DHQ, a post-operation assessment indicated that several terrorists were neutralised.
“The official position remains that several terrorists were neutralised, as confirmed by a Battle Damage Assessment conducted after the strike,” the statement noted.
The military also rejected allegations of civilian casualties, insisting that no credible evidence had been established.
“No credible, substantiated evidence of civilian casualties has been established through any official assessment or independent verification,” Major General Onoja stated.
It further stressed that the targeted location was occupied solely by armed non-state actors posing a threat to civilian communities.
“The identified target was a confirmed terrorist structure, occupied exclusively by armed non-state actors who posed a direct and active threat to civilian lives,” the statement said.
Reaffirming its operational standards, the Defence Headquarters said all missions are conducted under strict Rules of Engagement and international humanitarian law.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria operate at all times under strict Rules of Engagement, in full compliance with the principles of International Humanitarian Law, including distinction, proportionality, and precaution in attack,” it stated.
The statement added that ground troops are continuing clearance operations in the area, while urging the public to rely on official channels for verified information.
Any confirmed incidents involving civilians, it said, would be communicated transparently in line with military directives.
