Dozens of Nigerian fishermen are feared dead following air strikes by the Chadian military targeting jihadist positions on Lake Chad, according to AFP.
Citing a civilian militia member and an official from a Lake Chad fishermen’s union, the report said Chadian fighter jets bombarded two islands believed to be under the control of Boko Haram.
At least 40 Nigerian fishermen have been reported missing and are feared drowned in the aftermath of the bombardment.
The exact death toll remains uncertain, as military operations continue across the vast waterways and marshlands shared by Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, and Chad.
A militia source said the Chadian military had been carrying out strikes on islands on the Nigerian side of the lake since Friday, following recent attacks on Chadian troops by Boko Haram fighters.
The source described “huge casualties” among fishermen operating in the area—many of whom reportedly pay levies to Boko Haram for access to fishing zones.
“The bombing was concentrated on the jihadist stronghold of Shuwa Island, where Nigeria, Niger and Chad meet on the lake,” the report said.
A fisherman from Baga in northeastern Nigeria was quoted as saying, “Many people were killed.”
AFP added that most of the victims were believed to be from Doron Baga, a fishing community along the Nigerian shore of Lake Chad, as well as from Taraba State.
“It is not a secret that Nigerian fishermen pay tax to Boko Haram to access remote islands with abundant fish,” a source said. “Boko Haram transports them by boat to these islands and returns them with their catch.”
The Chadian military had not issued an official statement on the incident as of the time of reporting.
The development comes days after Boko Haram launched two separate attacks on Chadian military positions near Lake Chad, reportedly killing at least 24 soldiers and two senior generals.
In October 2024, Chad’s military faced similar accusations after air strikes targeting militants on Tilma Island reportedly killed dozens of Nigerian fishermen.