Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets have carried out a precision airstrike on a gathering of suspected bandits during a wedding ceremony in Zamfara State, security sources have confirmed.
The attack occurred at Asaula Hills in Tsafe Local Government Area on Tuesday afternoon, catching the armed group by surprise.
According to counter-insurgency publication Zagazola Makama, which focuses on the Lake Chad region, dozens of bandits had assembled for a mass wedding in Yankuzo ward when the air component of Operation Hadarin Daji launched the strike.
“At exactly 1444 hours, field reports confirmed the presence of a large number of heavily armed bandits, some on over 100 motorcycles, at the location,” the outlet quoted a military source as saying.
The operation reportedly targeted fighters from multiple enclaves, including areas of Katsina State. “In response, a fighter jet was deployed to engage the target. The strike was executed around 1600 hours and caught the criminals off guard,” the source added.
Local informants said at least 10 bodies were recovered from the site, with others reportedly “burnt beyond recognition.” Witnesses claimed no fewer than 33 injured bandits were taken for treatment in Yankuzo village and surrounding hamlets. “Dozens were neutralised instantly, while many others sustained serious injuries,” another source told the publication. “The survivors were seen evacuating the wounded to Yankuzo village for treatment.”
The report recommended follow-up ground operations, noting some injured fighters were “being secretly treated by unqualified health workers.”
Operation Hadarin Daji, a joint military offensive active across northwest Nigeria, has intensified air and ground campaigns against bandit strongholds in recent months.
While NAF officials have yet to issue an official statement, the strike marks the latest in a series of targeted operations against armed groups in the region. Security analysts suggest such precision attacks disrupt bandit coordination, though concerns remain over civilian safety in conflict zones.
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