Chadian airstrikes targeting jihadist positions on Lake Chad have left dozens of Nigerian fishermen presumed dead, local sources reported on May 10. The military operation, launched in response to a recent attack on Chadian troops, has raised concerns about civilian casualties in the conflict-ridden region.
«It’s challenging to determine the exact death toll as the operation is still ongoing,» a witness told reporters under anonymity. The strikes began on Friday, targeting islands controlled by the extremist group Boko Haram near the Chadian border, following an assault that killed at least 24 soldiers and left several others injured.
40 fishermen missing after aerial assault
According to a local fishermen’s union leader, «40 Nigerian fishermen are missing and likely drowned after the bombings.» Survivors reported that the strikes hit Shuwa, a remote island where the borders of Nigeria, Niger, and Chad converge. Shuwa, a known Boko Haram stronghold, is a major fishing hub attracting workers from across the region.
«Many people were killed,» said Adamu Haladu, a fisherman from the Nigerian town of Baga. «Most victims came from Doron Baga, a lakeside community in Nigeria’s Borno State, as well as Taraba State.» He explained that Nigerian fishermen often pay taxes to Boko Haram to access these remote, fish-rich waters.
Controversial military response
Despite the casualties, Chadian authorities have yet to issue an official statement on the incident. This isn’t the first time the military has faced allegations of mistakenly targeting civilians while combating jihadists.
In October 2024, Chadian forces were accused of killing dozens of civilians during a retaliatory strike on Tilma Island. The attack targeted Boko Haram fighters responsible for the deaths of 40 soldiers but allegedly hit fishing communities instead. The military denied any wrongdoing, insisting they had only struck militant positions.
Boko Haram’s deadly legacy
Since 2009, the jihadist insurgency has claimed over 40,000 lives and displaced two million people in Nigeria alone, according to the United Nations. The conflict has since spread to neighboring Niger, Cameroon, and Chad, turning Lake Chad—a vast wetland straddling four countries—into a hotbed for both Boko Haram and the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP).
In 2015, Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger reactivated a regional task force to counter the threat. However, Niger withdrew from the alliance in 2025, complicating efforts to stabilize the area.
