Local vigilantes heading to assist neighbours in Tungar Kara village, which had come under attack by bandits were reportedly killed in an airstrike in Kakindawa village, Maradun Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
It was gathered from residents that the incident happened on Saturday evening.
A resident, Garba Umar, told newsmen that the vigilante group mobilised after receiving reports of bandits rustling livestock and attempting to abduct villagers.
“As we were heading to Tungar Kara around 3:30 pm, an aircraft suddenly appeared in the area and dropped a bomb on the vigilantes. The bandits had already escaped into the forest,” Umar recounted.
He alleged that 16 people, including his own son, were killed in the airstrike.
“We mobilised to protect our neighbours, but tragically, the aircraft targeted the vigilantes instead of the fleeing bandits. It’s heartbreaking,” Umar alleged.
Reacting to the incident, the spokesperson for Operation Fansan Yamma, Lieutenant Colonel Abubakar Abdullahi, told The PUNCH on Sunday morning that he would investigate the matter and provide further details.
“I will look into what actually happened and get back to you,” Abdullahi said.
