The Chadian air force launched a swift retaliation following the “devastating nighttime assaults” by jihadist groups on the Barka Tolorom military base. These attacks, which occurred on May 4th, claimed 25 lives, including two generals, and left 46 injured, as reported by Modern Ghana. In response, “Chadian fighter jets are targeting Lake Chad islands controlled by Boko Haram, situated near the borders of Nigeria, Niger, and Chad,” states Africa Radio. The pan-African news outlet further specifies that “these airstrikes reportedly focused on Shuwa island, identified as a jihadist stronghold and a significant fishing hub frequented by Nigerian fishermen.”

The repercussions of these military operations are emerging: “An official from the Lake Chad fishermen’s union asserts that at least 40 Nigerian fishermen are unaccounted for and are presumed to have drowned during the bombardments.” Most of the alleged victims are said to originate from Doron Baga, a town located on the Nigerian side of the lake. This same community was the site of a brutal massacre in 2015, which resulted in the deaths of 2,000 individuals.

Currently, the Nigerian press has not commented on these claims emanating from its neighboring country. This silence comes amidst frequent accusations against the Nigerian national army for inadvertently bombing civilians, with the most recent incident occurring just a few weeks prior, when airstrikes