From Atiku Sarki, Abuja
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has dismissed reports circulating on various media platforms alleging civilian casualties during a recent air-land operation carried out by troops of Operation FANSAN YAMMA in Zamfara State, describing the figures being circulated as misleading, speculative, and unverified.
In a statement signed by the Director of Defence Media Operations, Major General Michael Onoja, the DHQ stated that no credible or substantiated evidence of civilian casualties had been established through any official assessment or independent verification.
According to Major General Onoja, the allegations being circulated in some quarters, including by certain international human rights organisations, lack verified evidence.
“Defence Headquarters wishes to clarify the allegations of civilian casualties as being peddled in some quarters, including by certain international human rights organisations.
“No credible, substantiated evidence of civilian casualties has been established through any official assessment or independent verification,” he stated.
He explained that the identified target was a confirmed terrorist structure occupied exclusively by armed non-state actors who posed a direct and active threat to civilian lives.
“Those making such allegations are hereby called upon to rely on verified, concrete evidence rather than on unconfirmed social media reports or adversarial sources that serve to undermine legitimate counter-terrorism operations,” he added.
The statement further clarified that the operation conducted by troops of the Joint Task Force (North West), Operation FANSAN YAMMA, on May 10, 2026, targeted a confirmed high-level gathering of terrorist ring leaders at Tumfa Village in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
According to the DHQ, the location had been verified through credible multi-source human intelligence as a coordination point for planned attacks against innocent communities in the North-West region.
Major General Onoja noted that the operation was an air interdiction strike, the nature of which does not permit immediate and precise ground-level enumeration of casualties.
He maintained that the varying casualty figures currently in circulation, including those attributed to international and local media outlets, remain speculative and unverified and do not represent the official position of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.
“The official position remains that several terrorists were neutralised, as confirmed by a Battle Damage Assessment conducted after the strike,” the statement added.
The Defence Headquarters reaffirmed that the Armed Forces of Nigeria operates under strict Rules of Engagement and in full compliance with the principles of International Humanitarian Law, including distinction, proportionality, and precaution in attacks.
The military further stressed that civilians are never targets and that all operational measures are taken to prevent civilian harm.
The DHQ advised members of the public to rely only on verified information released through official Defence Headquarters channels, assuring that any confirmed incidents involving civilian casualties would be communicated appropriately in line with the directive of the Chief of Defence Staff on professionalism and transparency in military operations.