Airstrikes carried out by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) in Borno State on Sunday, 14 December, reportedly killed an unspecified number of civilians, according to security sources. The strikes, which targeted suspected terrorist positions, were conducted between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. in the Mararaba area of Kukawa Local Government Area.
The incident occurred just hours after the NAF had publicly reaffirmed its commitment to protecting civilians in its operations—a campaign supported by the United States.
Security sources told PREMIUM TIMES that fishermen and commercial drivers were among those killed near a junction connecting the road to Daban Masara in Kukawa and Badeiri in Marte LGA. Drivers had gathered to transport fish and ferry the fishermen to other towns.
Confirming casualties and property damage, a source said, “The exact number of civilians killed is unknown, but several lives were lost, and at least ten vehicles were destroyed.” Some of the injured were reportedly taken to General Hospital Mungono for treatment.
A NAF pilot confirmed the incident to reporters, stating that it was discussed during a briefing earlier in the day in a North-western state. The Air Force has yet to issue an official statement. PREMIUM TIMES is following up for updates.
Sources familiar with the area described the strikes as “unfortunate” and said they were based on inaccurate intelligence. The officer explained that the location targeted, referred to by terrorists as “daula,” has no Boko Haram settlements and is mainly a transit route used by ISWAP, a Boko Haram splinter group.
ISWAP reportedly imposes a monthly tax of N40,000 on farmers and fishermen using the route, in addition to product-specific levies. Fishermen, for example, pay N5,000 per carton of fish to the group.
Following the strikes, the officer said the intended terrorist targets were regrouping, raising concerns about further attacks. The officer urged the Air Force to conduct proper intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) before future airstrikes and suggested compensation for affected civilians.
On Sunday, the NAF issued a statement on Facebook, reaffirming its commitment to civilian safety and highlighting US support via a delegation from Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response (CHMR). The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Aneke, described the collaboration with CHMR as a key element of the Air Force’s operational ethics and professional development.
The civilian casualties, however, came less than 24 hours after these assurances, exposing the risks inherent in targeting operations where terrorists are embedded in local communities. Analysts note that civilians in such conflict zones often have no choice but to remain in areas where terrorist activity is high.
Civilian casualties from airstrikes are not uncommon in US-supported military operations globally. According to Airwar, a transparency watchdog, between 2005 and 2025, 849 US airstrikes across Yemen, Iraq, Libya, and Somalia caused at least 265 civilian deaths, including 90 children. Investigations in Afghanistan by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism recorded around 117 civilian deaths, including 70 children, from US airstrikes between 2018 and 2020.
Similarly, the Nigerian Air Force has a documented history of accidental civilian casualties. Since February 2014, at least 17 incidents of civilian deaths caused by military airstrikes have been recorded, including the bombing of Daglun in Borno State. In 2022, airstrikes in Niger State killed six girls, with additional casualties reported months later.
A Reuters analysis of data from the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED) shows that outside Nigeria’s Northeastern “BAY” states (Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe), more than 2,600 civilians have been killed in 248 airstrike incidents since 2014.
The December 14 strikes underscore the persistent challenges of conducting precision military operations in civilian-populated conflict zones, even with international support.
