Dozens of Nigerian fishermen are feared dead after Chad’s military carried out air strikes targeting Boko Haram militants in the Lake Chad region, according to the local fishermen’s association.
Abubakar Gamandi Usman, chairman of the Lake Chad Basin Fisheries Association of Nigeria, told the BBC that more than 40 members are missing and presumed dead. He said some were likely hit by the strikes, while others drowned trying to escape in overloaded boats.
Chad’s presidency said Sunday it launched “intensive air strikes” on Boko Haram strongholds in retaliation for attacks last Monday and Wednesday that killed at least 24 Chadian soldiers and two generals near Lake Chad.
The Lake Chad basin, shared by Nigeria, Chad, Niger, and Cameroon, is a known stronghold for Boko Haram and its rival faction, ISWAP. Usman said both militants and fishermen inhabit the islands, and panic broke out when Chadian aircraft began circling on Friday.
Search efforts have been hampered by deep waters and limited access to canoes, many of which are controlled by Boko Haram, Usman added. The group also taxes fishermen and controls access to fishing grounds.
Chad and Nigeria have not officially commented on civilian casualties. Chadian air operations have previously been accused of killing civilians, including dozens of Nigerian fishermen in a similar strike on Tilma Island in October 2024.
