The Defence Headquarters has dismissed reports alleging civilian casualties during a recent air-land operation carried out by troops of Joint Task Force North West, Operation FANSAN YAMMA, in Zamfara State.
The operation, conducted on May 10, 2026, targeted what the military described as a high-level meeting of terrorist leaders at Tumfa Village in Shinkafi Local Government Area of the state.
In a statement issued on Thursday by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, and posted on X, the military said the strike was based on credible intelligence gathered from multiple sources.
According to the statement, the targeted location had been identified as a coordination centre for planned terrorist attacks.
“The operation targeted a confirmed high-level gathering of terrorist ring leaders at a location verified through credible multi-source human intelligence as a coordination point for planned attacks,” the statement read.
The Defence Headquarters explained that the mission was executed as an air interdiction strike, adding that such operations do not allow for immediate and precise verification of casualty figures on the ground.
It noted that casualty figures being circulated by some local and international media organisations were speculative and did not reflect the official position of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
“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,” the statement stated.
The military maintained that a post-strike Battle Damage Assessment confirmed that several terrorists were neutralised during the operation.
“The official position remains that several terrorists were neutralised, as confirmed by a Battle Damage Assessment conducted after the strike,” Onoja said.
The Defence Headquarters also rejected allegations that civilians were affected during the strike, insisting that there was no credible or independently verified evidence to support such claims.
“No credible, substantiated evidence of civilian casualties has been established through any official assessment or independent verification,” the statement added.
According to the military, the targeted structure was occupied exclusively by armed non-state actors considered a direct threat to surrounding 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,” it stated.
The Armed Forces further stressed that all military operations are conducted in compliance with international humanitarian law and established rules of engagement.
“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,” the statement noted.
The Defence Headquarters added that troops are continuing clearance operations in the affected area and urged members of the public to rely only on official communication channels for verified information.
