Chad Air Strikes Target Boko Haram, Dozens of Nigerian Fishermen Feared Dead

Dozens of Nigerian fishermen are feared dead after the Chadian military launched air strikes on Boko Haram militants operating in the Lake Chad region. Abubakar Gamandi Usman, chairman of the Lake Chad Basin Fisheries Association of Nigeria, stated that numerous union members are missing, estimating that over 40 have died. While no bodies have been recovered, Usman believes some fishermen were directly hit by the strikes, while others drowned attempting to escape in overcrowded vessels.

Chadian Retaliation and Civilian Impact

Neither Chadian nor Nigerian authorities have publicly addressed the reported civilian casualties. However, the Chadian presidency confirmed on Sunday that it had carried out "intensive air strikes" against Boko Haram strongholds. A Facebook statement from the presidency detailed these strikes as a response to "unjustified attacks" by Boko Haram, which occurred last Monday and Wednesday, targeting Chadian military bases near Lake Chad and reportedly killing at least 24 soldiers and two generals.

The Lake Chad basin, a vast area of waterways and swampland shared by Nigeria, Chad, Niger, and Cameroon, serves as a significant stronghold for both Boko Haram and its rival faction, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). Usman explained that after Boko Haram’s assault on Chadian forces, the militants retreated to islands they control, which are also inhabited by fishermen.

Panic erupted on Friday when the Chadian air force began circling overhead, leading both Boko Haram fighters and fishermen to attempt to flee. The search for missing fishermen has been hampered by the lake's depths and the local community's limited access to canoes, many of which are controlled by Boko Haram. Usman highlighted Boko Haram's control over fishing grounds, including transporting fishermen and levying taxes.

This is not the first instance of Chadian military operations allegedly causing civilian deaths; in October 2024, the air force reportedly killed dozens of Nigerian fishermen during similar strikes on Tilma Island in Lake Chad targeting Boko Haram. Nigeria's authorities have maintained public silence on allegations of fishermen being caught in the recent strikes.