Amnesty demands probe into Zamfara airstrike
Amnesty International has called on the Nigerian government to investigate a military airstrike that allegedly killed at least 100 civilians at Tumfa market in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State.
In a statement issued on Monday, the rights group said the airstrike occurred on Sunday, May 10, during trading activities at the weekly market.
According to the group, more dead bodies are still being recovered, while others died on the way to hospitals.
The group said, “On Sunday, 10 May 2026, around 12:00 midday, people at the weekly market saw military jets hovering. By 2:00 p.m., the military jets returned and bombarded the market.
“Dozens of people injured are currently receiving treatment at the general hospitals of Zurmi and Shinkafi. Eyewitnesses said many of those killed are women and girls.”
Amnesty noted that a similar incident occurred in April at Jilli, on the border between Borno and Yobe states, where over 100 civilians were killed in a military airstrike on a market.
It added that this pattern of human rights violation is increasingly becoming the norm, with villagers at the receiving end of atrocities by both armed groups, bandits and the military.
“Launching air raids is not a legitimate law enforcement method by anyone’s standard. Such reckless use of deadly force is unlawful, outrageous and lays bare the Nigerian military’s disregard for civilian lives,” the group said.
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