Father Says He Lost Three Children In Niger Airstrike

A resident of Guradnayi village in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State, Victor Solomon, has narrated how an airstrike allegedly killed three of his children and left him seriously injured.

The incident reportedly happened in the early hours of Sunday when military aircraft targeted suspected bandits moving through communities near Kusasu in Shiroro LGA. Residents said several civilians, mostly children, were caught in the bombardment.

Speaking from his hospital bed, Solomon said he suffered severe injuries to his face and fears he may not survive.

“I lost three of my children in the attack. I am in serious pain and we need government assistance,” he said.

Another resident, Gideon Bamaiyi, said 13 people were killed in his elder brother’s house after a bomb reportedly hit the building while residents were asleep.

According to him, the victims included seven children, while six other injured persons are receiving treatment at a hospital in Zumba community.

Residents claimed bandits had earlier passed through the area before the strike occurred, prompting many villagers to flee. Some later returned home before the bombardment began around 5am.

However, the Defence Headquarters denied reports that civilians were killed during the operation.

Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, said the military acted on intelligence reports about armed bandits gathering in Shiroro LGA.

According to the military, multiple airstrikes were carried out on suspected bandit hideouts in Kusasu, Katerma, Bokko and Kuduru villages, leading to the killing of about 70 bandits.

The military maintained that the operation was precise and based on credible intelligence, adding that residents had been warned to leave the affected areas before the strikes.

Meanwhile, the Niger State Government also insisted that only terrorists and their informants remained in the targeted locations during the operation.

The incident has again raised concerns over accidental military airstrikes in Nigeria, following similar cases recorded in Borno State, Kaduna State, Zamfara State and other parts of the country in recent years.