FOR two consecutive days, bombs believed to have been released by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) during a ‘precision’ airstrike rained on civilians, mostly commercial drivers, fishermen and farmers around Mararaba between Kukawa and Monguno Local Government Areas of Borno State.
By Hamzat Ibrahim ABAGA
The first airstrike which on December 13 targeted over 100 vehicles parked by drivers who had gone to convey their customers (fishermen) and their goods. They returned to the area the following day—this time in the morning and rained bombs on the civilians who had returned to convey the fishermen and their goods to Monguno town.
Although reports say NAF’s spokesperson claimed the precision strikes were targeted at terrorists and their vehicles, multiple sources told The ICIR that several residents were among the victims even as about 50 vehicles belonging to locals were also destroyed.
Another report said an airstrike carried out by the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) targeting members of ISWAP in Borno State had reportedly killed an unspecified number of civilians.
However, no official statement disputing alleged civilian casualties has been made by NAF even as inquiries to its spokesperson by The ICIR on the strikes have not been responded to.
However, a visit by The ICIR to the neighbouring communities found that six persons were killed, three severely injured while 50 cars were destroyed.
Due to the difficult nature of the terrain, coupled with security reason, The ICIR could not get to the exact location of the attack. However, surviving victims at neighbouring communities, including Monguno, narrated their ordeals.
Read also: Airstrike cover-up: Katsina government helped Nigerian Air Force conceal civilian deaths
‘Civilians were struck twice at Mararaba motor park’
On Saturday, December 13, 2025, at about 1pm, a NAF aircraft struck more than 50 commercial vehicles parked at Tashan Mararaba motor park. Sources said the vehicles were waiting to convey fishermen back to markets in Monguno town, where they sell fish.
Baba Malaji, 55, and Baba Goni, 40, who sustained head and leg injuries, described the incident as a devastating attack. Both men said they had operated along the route for over four years, transporting fishermen and traders, and had never experienced a similar incident.
According to them, after learning that their vehicles had been hit, drivers rushed to the scene to assess the damage. They decided to remain there overnight while waiting for the fishermen to return.
They said that at about 3:am on Sunday, December 14, the aircraft returned and carried out a second strike. The renewed attack left three people seriously injured and resulted in six deaths with 50 vehicles destroyed.
Among those who died were people caught in the vicinity, including a farmer working nearby. Some victims died at the scene, while others later died at the Monguno General Hospital. The injured survivors were treated and discharged after several days.
Identities of the deceased victims
The following are names and ages of those who lost their lives in the airstrike:
- Modu Kuru, 42;
- Bakar Danbe, 50;
- Abba Kaka, 30;
- Babulama Datinkone, 65;
- Ali, 25;
- and a 45-year-old man identified as Keliye.
National ID card photograph of one of the deceased victims
More survivors narrate ordeals
For 55-year-old Baba Malaji, a commercial driver with a wife, 10 children, and who drove his neighbour’s car, the NAF airstrike is an unforgettable experience. He described it as a deliberate attempt to harm them.
Speaking to The ICIR, Malaji said he was at home when he learned that his car had been destroyed by the airstrike. He bade farewell to his wife and children before rushing to assess the damage, hoping to return home safely the next day. To his chagrin, another strike hit him and his colleagues while they slept under a tree.
“I and other drivers whose cars were affected went to check the damage when NAF struck us again. We usually sleep over at the park to reconvey the market men the following morning. Indeed, that night is one some of us, especially those who lost loved ones, will never forget,” Malaji said.
‘We were falsely labelled as bandits’
Goni, 40, who sustained head injuries and a fractured leg, told The ICIR that claims labelling them as bandits are false. He explained that Tashan Mararaba is a bustling business junction frequented by traders, marketers, and commercial drivers, serving as the main transit point for travellers heading to Monguno, Manunbari, Dafan Masara, and Kokawa.
“The insinuation that bandits take shelter there is a fat lie. Many people, including the NAF, knew about the location and its activities. They are just trying to justify their actions,” Goni said.
Another survivor, identified as Ali Baba Lawal, a security officer at Monguno General Hospital, confirmed to The ICIR that four victims were brought to the hospital on the morning of Sunday, December 14. They were treated and later discharged.
“When they were brought in, there was no doctor on duty, so I quickly called one to attend to them. One later died, while two whose injuries were not critical were treated and discharged after three days,” Lawal said.
Over 50 cars destroyed in airstrike
Survivors and relatives of the deceased reported that around 50 vehicles were destroyed during the airstrike—some reduced to ashes, others beyond recognition, while a few sustained moderate damages.
The volatile nature of the area prevented The ICIR from visiting the site for verification, making it difficult to quantify the full extent of the destruction. However, survivors and family members confirmed the scale of the damage.
“I counted 10 cars severely destroyed. Some of us have gone back to collect what remains of our vehicles, while others cannot be recovered due to the extent of the damage,” said Goni.
Malaji, 55, who relied on his neighbour’s car to earn a living, said he has been involved in commercial driving in the area for over 30 years but had never faced such a situation.
“The car is not mine; it belongs to my neighbour, and I drove it to pay him weekly. We’ve been doing this for over four years. Now that the car is gone, I must find another way to support my wife and our 10 children,” he said.
“As it stands, I don’t know how the owner and I will resolve this. If he asks me to pay him, I currently have no means, but I am determined that my family and I will survive this trying time,” Malaji added.
How previous airstrikes targeted civilians
A Reuters review of data from the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED), a US-based crisis monitoring group, shows that the NAF has repeatedly targeted civilians by ‘mistake.’
Since 2014, over 2,600 people—mostly civilians—have been killed in 248 airstrike incidents outside the terror-affected Northeastern states of Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe, referred to by experts as BAY states.
The analysis highlights a history of deadly errors, including a 2014 bombing in a Borno village that killed more than 30 people. In 2017, NAF airstrikes in Rann, Kala-Balge LGA, Borno State, killed around 50 refugees and injured 200 others.
Reuters also notes that in April 2022, six girls were killed in Kurebe, a terror-affected village in Shiroro LGA, Niger State. Four months later, the Air Force returned to the same location, killing eight more people in another accidental strike.
NAF yet to respond to our injury on airstrike — Borno State gov’t
When The ICIR contacted Borno State’s Commissioner for Information, Usman Tar, a professor, he said the state government had previously reached out to the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) for details of the incident but had not received any response.
“I have been informed about the purported airstrike, and I have reached out to NAF but didn’t receive a response,” Tar said.
He added that he needed more information from the Air Force to comment on the incident and need to contact affected locals or their relatives for verification.
“I need to get the details of the airstrike, the exact location of the incident, and I will do my independent verification from the locals. Until then, I can’t say anything about the incident,” Tar said.
Families of deceased victims call for justice
Malam Haji, father of the late Kaka, told The ICIR that his son left home intending to return after checking on the airstrike that destroyed his car. “On getting to the scene of the incident, NAF struck again and that was the end,” he said.
Haji appealed to Nigerian authorities for justice, adding that the death of his 30-year-old son is the will of God and prayed that his soul may rest in peace. “Authorities should assist us in holding those responsible accountable, and for justice,” he urged.
Malam Goni recounted the loss of his elder brother, who left home reassuring the family he would return, never imagining it would be his final departure.
Baba, Goni’s late brother, left behind a wife and eight children, all now under Goni’s care. “The past two weeks since his demise haven’t been easy for the family. We are predominantly farmers and depend on our farm produce for survival, but insecurity has prevented us from accessing our farms,” Goni said.
Nigerian Air Force remains mum
Several weeks after the airstrikes, NAF has yet to respond to inquiries about its operations. NAF’s spokesperson, Ehimen Ejodame, told The ICIR on Tuesday to send a text message as he was in a meeting.
However, messages sent to him went unanswered by press time, and multiple follow-up calls were also unsewered.
The ICIR reports that strikes occurred barely 24 hours after NAF had assured civilians of their safety during operations.
On 13 December, the Air Force in a statement stated its commitment to responsible and precise air operations while hosting a delegation of United States experts on Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response (CHMR).
The Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke, said the engagement “forms a critical component of the NAF’s operational ethics and professional evolution,” highlighting measures aimed at minimising civilian harm. He added that cooperation with the United States “has progressed from concept to measurable institutional gains,” reflecting steps designed to protect civilians.
Aneke also cited measures already in place, including “the NAF’s CHMR Action Plan, a dedicated Department at the Air Warfare Centre, standardized CHMR training, strengthened assessment and investigation team capabilities, and enhanced strategic communication with NAF Public Relations.”
This is part of the ICIR Terror Series, read it HERE.