A Nigerian Air Force fighter jet conducted an airstrike in Zamfara State that killed at least 20 civilians, primarily local vigilantes. The incident occurred when Bandits attacked Mani and Wabi villages in Maru district, stealing cattle and kidnapping dozens of residents. Local vigilantes from Maraya and surrounding communities mobilised to pursue the Bandits and recover the hostages and stolen livestock. A military jet deployed to assist the community mistakenly bombed the vigilantes between Maraya and Wabi villages, killing at least 20 of them. The Nigerian Air Force claimed the strike targeted armed Bandits, stating they neutralised over 20 terrorists and destroyed 21 motorcycles in the operation. Residents reported that the vigilantes were caught in the crossfire while pursuing the Bandits.
31 May 2025 · Maraya and Wabi, Maru, Zamfara
Deaths
20
Kidnapped
0
Total casualties
20
Perpetrators
State Security Actors
Response
The Nigerian Air Force defended the operation, stating it followed intelligence that "a significant number of terrorists were massing and preparing to strike unsuspecting settlements". Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame confirmed two local vigilantes were killed and two others injured in the crossfire. Amnesty International called for a transparent investigation, stating: "Attacks by Bandits clearly warrant a response from the state, but to launch reckless airstrikes into villages – again and again – is absolutely unlawful". Human rights groups have condemned the recurring pattern of erroneous airstrikes in northern Nigeria.
Displacement
0
Socioeconomic drivers
The military faces immense pressure to show results against Banditry in northwestern Nigeria, leading to lowered thresholds for conducting strikes in complex environments.
Trajectory
This incident is part of a persistent and deadly pattern of Nigerian military airstrikes causing mass civilian casualties. The Zamfara strike was the third such incident in the state, following January 2025 (16 killed) and December 2022 (over 100 killed) . The military's response has evolved from acknowledging fault in some cases (e.g., Tudun Biri 2023) to maintaining that strikes hit legitimate targets, as seen in this incident where the Air Force claimed to have neutralised terrorists . This defensive posture undermines accountability and perpetuates the cycle of erroneous strikes.
Cycle notes
This incident is a direct echo of a tragic cycle of military airstrikes causing mass civilian casualties in northern Nigeria. It mirrors the December 2023 Tudun Biri airstrike in Kaduna State (85 civilians killed) , the January 2025 Zamfara airstrike (16 vigilantes killed) , and the January 2017 Rann airstrike (112 civilians killed) . The recurring nature of these incidents—where community defence groups are mistaken for Bandits—highlights a systemic failure in intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR), and a troubling pattern of "shoot first, ask questions later" in military operations. The fact that this was the third such incident in Zamfara alone underscores the persistent vulnerability of civilian populations and vigilante groups caught between Bandits and state security forces.
Pattern
Accidental Airstrike
Related — Counter-Insurgency
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