By Gloria Attah
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has denied reports of civilian casualties following recent airstrikes in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, insisting the operation targeted armed bandits based on credible intelligence.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, said the Nigerian Army UAV Command carried out coordinated aerial interdiction operations between 11:59 p.m. on May 9 and 6:00 a.m. on May 10, 2026.
According to the military, the strikes followed intelligence reports indicating that armed bandits had converged at Lukupe Village and other locations within Shiroro LGA.
The DHQ said the operation targeted identified terrorist enclaves in Katerma, Bokko, Kusasu and Kuduru villages.
Describing the mission as “meticulously planned and executed,” the military said several bandits were neutralised during the operation, with about 70 reportedly killed in Kusasu alone.
The statement added that post-strike intelligence and local sources confirmed that surviving bandits were seen evacuating the bodies of dead fighters for burial, while more than 200 armed men on motorcycles reportedly retreated toward Zango.
According to the DHQ, intelligence also showed another group of fighters from Bokko advancing toward Zango, allegedly to regroup and possibly launch attacks on Sarkin Pawa, Kuchi and nearby government security infrastructure.
“Another group were also seen converging at Kopa, east of Mongoro, suggesting a possible plan to attack government/security infrastructure in Mongoro. The military took necessary steps to neutralise all these threats in a timely manner,” the statement read.
Responding to allegations that civilians may have been killed during the strikes, the military maintained that residents in the affected communities had relocated to Sarkin Pawa before the operation began.
“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. This fact alone fundamentally undermines the claim that innocent residents were present in the strike zones at the time of the operation,” the DHQ stated.
The Armed Forces, however, said relevant military formations had been directed to verify the allegations of civilian casualties.
The DHQ also cautioned the media and the public against spreading unverified reports, warning that such narratives could embolden criminal groups, undermine troop morale and weaken public confidence in ongoing military operations.
“The Armed Forces of Nigeria will continue to pursue and neutralise all threats to national security with the precision, professionalism and resolve that the defence of Nigeria demands,” Major General Onoja added.
