Not less than twenty vigilantes were killed in an airstrike in Zamfara State as the Nigerian military jet mistakenly bombed the vigilantes, thinking they were bandits.
The incident occurred in Garin Mani village, Maru Local Government Area.
Earlier, bandits attacked the village, killing many residents. Over fifty people were abducted while working on farms during the attack.
Witnesses reported that the assailants arrived around noon on motorcycles. They opened fire indiscriminately, spreading panic throughout the community.
Local vigilantes quickly mobilized to chase the fleeing attackers.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian military jet was deployed to support the pursuit, but Unfortunately, the jet mistakenly identified the vigilantes as bandits and opened fire on them.
“We were pursuing the bandits when we saw the fighter jet approaching,” a vigilante told BBC Hausa.
“It flew very low and started bombing us. Some of us survived by pretending we had been hit. When the jet left, we got up and fled to safety.”
Another local resident, speaking anonymously, confirmed the attack and acknowledged the mistaken identity.
“We understand it was an unfortunate mistake, but the military should acknowledge what happened and reach out to the victims’ families,” he said.
Speaking further, he urged the government to deploy more troops.
According to the report, Bandits had threatened to return, worsening fears in the community.
Meanwhile, it should be noted that the Nigerian military jet is tasked with protecting civilians and fighting bandits. Therefore, this tragic error has raised concerns about coordination between military and local vigilantes.
It should also be noted that Zamfara State has suffered frequent bandit attacks, causing many casualties and displacements.
It was gathered that Residents often rely on vigilante groups for local security.
Recalled that it was recently reported that the military killed over 60 terrorists. This was done amid the fight against criminal elements across the country.
