By Chimezie Godfrey
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has dismissed reports alleging civilian casualties during recent aerial interdiction operations carried out by the Armed Forces of Nigeria in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State.
The military clarified that the coordinated air strikes, conducted between the late hours of May 9 and the early hours of May 10, 2026, specifically targeted armed bandits gathered at identified enclaves in Katerma, Bokko, Kusasu, and Kuduru villages.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, the military said the operation followed credible intelligence indicating the convergence of armed criminal elements planning attacks within the area.
According to the DHQ, the Nigerian Army UAV Command conducted multiple precision strikes on the identified terrorist locations after intelligence confirmed hostile movements and possible plans to attack communities and government infrastructure.
The military disclosed that about 70 bandits were neutralised in Kusasu during the operation.
“Further reports from local sources confirmed that the aerial interdiction was precise on target at Kusasu, Katerma and Bokko. It was gathered that about seventy bandits were hit and killed in Kusasu,” the statement said.
The DHQ added that surviving terrorists were later seen evacuating corpses of their fallen members for burial while others fled towards Zango on over 200 motorcycles.
According to the military, another group of armed men was also observed converging around Kopa, east of Mongoro, allegedly in preparation for attacks on government and security facilities before troops intervened.
Reacting to allegations of civilian casualties, the Defence Headquarters insisted that local residents within the operational zone had voluntarily relocated to Sarkin Pawa before the strikes commenced.
“It is particularly instructive that, well ahead of the aerial interdiction, all local civilian communities within the general area had, out of an abundance of caution, voluntarily relocated to Sarkin Pawa for their safety,” the statement noted.
The military argued that the claim of civilian presence within the strike zones contradicts available intelligence and operational findings gathered after the strikes.
The DHQ, however, stated that relevant military formations had been directed to independently verify the allegations of civilian casualties, if any.
The Armed Forces reiterated its commitment to protecting civilians and conducting operations in accordance with the rules of engagement and international humanitarian standards.
The military also cautioned against the circulation of unverified reports capable of undermining troop morale and emboldening criminal groups.
“Individuals peddling unsubstantiated claims of civilian casualties without offering credible evidence and without seeking official military response prior to publication risk becoming unwitting instruments of terrorist propaganda,” the DHQ warned.
The military assured Nigerians that operations against armed groups threatening national security would continue with professionalism and precision.
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