At least 20 members of a local vigilante group have been mistakenly killed by a Nigerian military fighter jet during an anti-banditry operation in Garin Mani, a village in Maru Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The tragic incident occurred during a military response to an earlier bandit attack that left several residents dead and over 50 others — mostly farmers — abducted from their fields.
According to eyewitnesses, the bandits stormed the area on motorcycles around midday, opening fire and causing chaos. In reaction, community vigilantes mobilized and pursued the fleeing attackers.
However, the situation turned deadly when a military aircraft deployed to the scene allegedly misidentified the vigilantes as the bandits they were chasing — and launched airstrikes on them.
“We were chasing the bandits when we saw the jet flying low,” one of the vigilantes told BBC Hausa. “Suddenly, it started bombing us. Some of us pretended to be dead to survive. Once the jet flew off, we managed to escape.”
A local resident, speaking anonymously, confirmed the incident and criticized the military’s silence.
“We know it was a mistake, but the military needs to take responsibility and reach out to the families. These were men protecting their communities,” he said.
He also urged the government to reinforce security in the area, noting that the bandits had issued fresh threats to return.
This is not the first time such a tragic error has occurred. In January 2025, at least 16 vigilantes were mistakenly killed in Zurmi district, also in Zamfara. In December 2022, over 100 civilians lost their lives in Mutunji village during a similar military operation. And in 2023, a mistaken airstrike on a religious gathering in Kaduna State left at least 85 people dead.
The Nigerian military is yet to release an official statement regarding the latest incident in Garin Mani.
