Chad military strikes kill dozens of nigerian fishermen on lake Chad

Military strikes by the Chad army against jihadist groups on Lake Chad have allegedly left dozens of Nigerian fishermen dead over the past three days. Local witnesses, including members of a local anti-jihadist defense group, confirmed the incident to regional media.

«It’s difficult to determine the exact death toll as operations are still ongoing», a witness told reporters under anonymity. The strikes, which began on Friday, targeted islands controlled by Boko Haram near the Chadian border, following a deadly attack by the group on May 4 that killed at least 24 Chadian soldiers and left several injured.

40 missing fishermen feared dead

According to local sources, the aerial bombardments have caused significant casualties among Nigerian fishermen operating in the area with Boko Haram’s authorization. These fishermen reportedly pay a tax to the group to access the region’s fishing grounds. The strikes specifically targeted Shuwa Island, a remote area where the borders of Nigeria, Niger, and Chad converge. Shuwa is a known stronghold of Boko Haram and a major fishing hub attracting workers from across the region.

A local fishermen’s union leader stated that «40 Nigerian fishermen are missing and are likely drowned following the strikes». His claim is based on accounts from survivors who managed to escape the area.

«Many people have been killed. Most of the victims of the airstrikes came from Doron Baga, a Nigerian town on the lake’s shores, as well as from Taraba State», shared Adamu Haladu, a fisherman from the Nigerian town of Baga. He added, «It’s no secret that Nigerian fishermen pay taxes to Boko Haram to access these remote islands, where the waters are rich in fish».

Recurring civilian casualties in Chad’s anti-jihadist operations

The Chadian army has yet to issue an official statement regarding the incident. However, this is not the first time the military has faced accusations of inadvertently targeting civilians while pursuing Boko Haram militants.

In October 2024, the army was criticized for a retaliatory strike on Tilma Island that resulted in the deaths of dozens of civilians. The attack was meant to target Boko Haram fighters responsible for killing 40 Chadian soldiers, but witnesses claimed the strikes hit fishermen by mistake. The Chadian military denied accusations of targeting innocent civilians.

The jihadist insurgency, led by Boko Haram and the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP), has claimed over 40,000 lives and displaced more than two million people in Nigeria’s northeastern region, according to the United Nations. The conflict has expanded over recent years into neighboring areas of Niger, Cameroon, and Chad. Lake Chad, a sprawling wetland spanning Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, and Chad, has become a major jihadist bastion since 2009.

In 2015, Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger revived the Multinational Joint Task Force, originally established in 1994, to counter these militant groups. Niger withdrew from the regional force in 2025.