An unconfirmed number of civilians have been reported killed following an airstrike on Guradnayi, a settlement near Kusasu in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, in what residents say is another tragic episode linked to ongoing military operations in conflict-affected communities.
The early Sunday morning incident has renewed concerns over repeated accidental airstrikes in rural areas battling insecurity across parts of northern Nigeria.
Eyewitnesses and local sources said the attack occurred around 5 a.m. and claimed multiple lives, with some residents alleging that no fewer than 12 people were killed in a single household. One resident of Kusasu, Auta Awododo, said members of his extended family were among the victims.
“Twelve people were killed in his house. The rest were Kusasu people who were fleeing from the terrorists,” he said, adding that one of the deceased was his cousin’s son.
Residents further claimed that armed fighters on motorcycles had passed through the area as military aircraft pursued them. According to them, an initial strike reportedly hit an area near a river in Kusasu, followed by another bomb dropped in Guradnayi.
At the time of filing this report, the Nigerian Air Force had not released an official statement on the incident, and a request for comment sent to its spokesperson had not been answered.
A local politician who asked not to be named expressed concern over what he described as recurring loss of civilian lives in similar operations, noting that such incidents have happened repeatedly in the area without clear resolution.
Shiroro Local Government Area has witnessed several controversial airstrike incidents in recent years. In 2022, a military airstrike reportedly killed six children in Kurebe village, followed months later by another operation that left eight civilians dead in the same community. The incidents were widely disputed and never conclusively resolved.
While security sources suggested that armed groups may have been targeted in the latest operation, they also acknowledged that civilians were caught in the crossfire.
A local vigilante source monitoring the situation said armed fighters had moved through Kusasu into neighbouring Munya Local Government Area of Niger State.
“As I speak to you now, they are operating in Kabula near Kuchi. There’s no confirmed abductions yet, but they have rustled cattle from several communities in Munya,” the source said.
The situation remains tense as communities continue to count losses and await official clarification on the incident.
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