Chadian military strikes kill dozens of nigerian fishermen near lake Tchad

Heavy aerial strikes by the Chadian military on jihadist positions near Lake Chad have reportedly resulted in the presumed deaths of dozens of Nigerian fishermen over the past three days. According to local witnesses, including members of an anti-jihadist self-defense group, the operation has left a significant death toll that remains difficult to verify as military action continues unabated.

«Accurately counting the victims is challenging since the operation is still underway,» noted one witness who preferred to remain anonymous. The strikes were launched in response to a Boko Haram attack on a Chadian military base on May 4, which claimed the lives of at least 24 soldiers and left several others injured.

40 fishermen missing and presumed dead

The Chadian air force has been targeting remote islands in Lake Chad under the control of Boko Haram, near the Chadian border. «The bombings have inflicted severe casualties on Nigerian fishermen who operated in the area with the group’s authorization, after paying a so-called tax,» explained a source close to the situation. The most intense strikes targeted Shuwa Island, a strategic fishing hub where the borders of Nigeria, Niger, and Chad converge. Shuwa has long been a stronghold of Boko Haram and a major fishing destination attracting professionals from across the region.

Meanwhile, a fishermen’s union leader reported that «40 Nigerian fishermen are missing and likely drowned following the airstrikes.» His account is based on testimonies from survivors who managed to escape the devastation.

«Many people have been killed. Most victims of these air raids hail from the town of Doron Baga on the Nigerian shores of the lake, as well as from Taraba State in Nigeria,» shared Adamu Haladu, a fisherman from Baga. He added, «It’s no secret that Nigerian fishermen pay a levy to Boko Haram to access these remote islands, whose waters are teeming with fish.»

repeated civilian casualties in chadian counter-terrorism operations

The Chadian army has yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident. This is not the first time the military has faced accusations of unintentionally targeting civilians while pursuing jihadist groups. In October 2024, the army came under fire for a retaliatory strike on Tilma Island, which killed dozens of civilians. The operation was meant to target Boko Haram militants responsible for the deaths of 40 Chadian soldiers, but local accounts suggest the strikes mistakenly hit fishing communities. The Chadian authorities denied any wrongdoing at the time.

The ongoing insurgency by Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa (ISWAP) has left more than 40,000 dead and displaced over two million people in northeastern Nigeria alone, according to United Nations estimates. The conflict has spilled over into neighboring regions, including parts of Niger, Cameroon, and Chad. Since 2009, Lake Chad has become a hotbed for these extremist factions, serving as a refuge for their fighters amidst the region’s vast wetlands.

In 2015, the governments of Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger revived the Multinational Joint Task Force—a regional security coalition created in 1994—to combat these militant groups. However, Niger withdrew from the alliance in 2025, altering the dynamics of this long-standing regional security arrangement.