From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, in Gusau
Over seventy civilians mostly spinsters were reportedly killed allegedly by the Nigerian Air force strikes on weekly market on Sunday in Tumfa village of Zurmi local government area of Zamfara State.
Hon. Ibrahim Mashema, a former Councillor in Mashema ward explained that the incident happened while the weekly market was at its peak around 1:00pm.
Mashema narrated that early comers to the market had on Sunday morning seen two fighter jets flying over the area and later disappeared, leaving in their trail appalling sounds of bombs being dropped by the jets in the afternoon which left many young girls and children dead as a result of multiple explosions.
“Victims of bombing have already been conveyed to hospitals in Gusau, the state capital. And we are now busy burying the dead ones. The exercise may take us up to Tuesday or even Wednesday.
“We are calling on the state government to swiftly draw the attention of the federal government with a view to realizing what was done to innocent and law abiding citizens.”
Responding in a statement, the spokesperson of the state governor, Hon. Sulaiman Bala Idris, said the troops acted on an intelligence report that confirmed that terrorists had converged on a concealed location in Tumfa Village in Shinkafi Local Government Area, with the intention to coordinate attacks and criminal activities targeting innocent communities in the state.
The Air Component launched a precision airstrike on the identified terrorist hideout that successfully destroyed the structure, which served as the terrorists’ meeting point, the governor’s spox said.
He said the governor reiterated the Zamfara State Government’s commitment to the ongoing support and logistics for the military and other security agencies operating in the state.
The statement further revealed that Governor Dauda Lawal has commended the troops of the Joint Task Force (North West) Operation Fansan Yamma for achieving significant operational successes against bandits in Zamfara State.
According to the statement, the troops had launched an elaborate and coordinated onslaught in the early hours of Thursday, May 7 2026 in the Kaura Namoda and Birnin Magaji Local Government Areas of Zamfara State.
“Following the encounter, troops effectively neutralised three gang leaders and recovered a cache of weapons and ammunition, which included an AK-47 rifle, a machine gun, a locally fabricated handgun, seven rifle magazines, and a total of 571 rounds of ammunition.
“Governor Lawal described the renewed military offensive as timely, particularly due to the successful operation recorded on May 10, 2026, which disrupted a significant gathering of notorious terrorist leaders and neutralised several commanders”, he commended.
