May 13, (THEWILL) — The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has rejected reports alleging civilian casualties during a recent military operation in Zamfara State, insisting that the operation specifically targeted terrorist elements and was carried out in line with international humanitarian standards.
A statement by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, described the reports circulating across various media platforms as misleading, speculative, and unverified, stressing that no credible evidence had established civilian deaths in the operation conducted by troops of the Joint Task Force (North West), Operation FANSAN YAMMA.
According to the DHQ, the operation, which took place on May 10, 2026, targeted what it described as a confirmed high-level gathering of terrorist ring leaders at Tumfa Village in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
The military explained that the location was identified through credible multi-source human intelligence as a coordination hub for planned attacks against communities across the North-West region.
“The operation was an air interdiction strike, the nature of which does not permit an immediate and precise ground-level enumeration of casualties,” the statement said.
It added that casualty figures currently being circulated by some local and international media organisations do not represent the official position of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
It noted that the only confirmed outcome from the operation was that several terrorists were neutralised following a post-strike Battle Damage Assessment.
The Defence Headquarters further faulted allegations by some international human rights organisations suggesting civilian casualties, maintaining that no substantiated or independently verified evidence had supported such claims.
According to the military, the identified target was a confirmed terrorist structure occupied solely by armed non-state actors posing a direct threat to innocent civilians in the region.
The DHQ cautioned against reliance on unverified social media narratives and adversarial propaganda capable of undermining legitimate counter-terrorism operations being undertaken by security forces.
Reaffirming the military’s operational standards, the Armed Forces of Nigeria stated that all operations are conducted under strict Rules of Engagement and in compliance with the principles of International Humanitarian Law, including distinction, proportionality, and precaution in attack.
“Civilians are never targets, and every operational measure is taken to prevent civilian harm,” the statement added.
The military also disclosed that ground troops were continuing exploitation and clearance operations within the affected area, while urging members of the public to rely solely on verified information released through official Defence Headquarters communication channels.
It assured that any confirmed incidents involving civilian casualties would be transparently communicated to the public in line with the directive of the Chief of Defence Staff on professionalism and accountability in military operations.
The statement reiterated the Armed Forces’ commitment to safeguarding lives, protecting communities, and sustaining ongoing efforts to dismantle terrorist networks threatening peace and stability across the country.
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