Dozens of Nigerian fishermen are feared dead after Chadian military airstrikes targeted jihadist positions near Lake Chad, witnesses reported on May 10. The strikes, part of an ongoing operation since Friday, follow a recent attack on Chadian forces by Boko Haram that left at least 24 soldiers dead.
Operation targets Boko Haram strongholds
The Chadian air force has been bombing islands in Lake Chad controlled by Boko Haram, close to the country’s border, in retaliation for the May 4 assault. An anonymous witness stated, “It’s difficult to estimate the death toll as the operation is still ongoing.”
Forty fishermen missing, likely drowned
A local fishermen’s union leader confirmed that 40 Nigerian fishermen are missing and presumed drowned after the airstrikes. He based his claim on accounts from survivors who escaped the bombing. The strikes reportedly hit Shuwa Island, a fishing hub where waters from Nigeria, Niger, and Chad converge—a known Boko Haram stronghold.
Fishermen in the region have long paid taxes to Boko Haram to access these waters, which are rich in fish. Adamu Haladu, a fisherman from Baga, Nigeria, shared, “Many people were killed. Most victims were from Doron Baga and Taraba State. It’s no secret that fishermen pay taxes to Boko Haram to access these remote islands.”
History of civilian casualties in military operations
The Chadian military has not yet commented on the incident. This isn’t the first time its operations have resulted in civilian casualties. In October 2024, a retaliatory strike on Tilma Island, targeting Boko Haram militants who had killed 40 Chadian soldiers, accidentally killed dozens of civilians, according to witnesses. The military denied targeting non-combatants.
The Boko Haram insurgency has claimed over 40,000 lives and displaced two million people in Nigeria’s northeast since 2009. The conflict has spilled into neighboring regions, including parts of Niger, Cameroon, and Chad. Lake Chad, spanning four countries, has become a hotspot for Boko Haram and the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP).
In 2015, Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger revived the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) to combat these groups. However, Niger withdrew from the coalition in 2025.