Civilian casualties are feared after Chad’s military launched airstrikes against jihadist groups on Lake Chad over the weekend. Dozens of Nigerian fishermen are reported missing, with local sources suggesting they may have drowned in the crossfire.
Witnesses, including members of an anti-jihadist self-defense group, told reporters that Tchadian fighter jets have been bombing islands under Boko Haram control along the Chad-Nigeria border since Friday. The operation follows a deadly attack on a military base in early May, which killed at least 24 soldiers.
Disappearances raise concerns over civilian toll
According to a local source speaking on condition of anonymity, the exact death toll remains unclear as the operation is still ongoing. « The airstrikes have hit fishing communities operating under Boko Haram’s control, » the source explained. Fishermen pay a tax to the group to access the area’s rich fishing grounds.
One of the hardest-hit zones is Shuwa Island, a key fishing hub where borders between Nigeria, Niger, and Chad converge. A fishing union representative reported that 40 Nigerian fishermen are missing and presumed dead after the bombings. Survivors who fled the area confirmed the casualties.
Adamu Haladu, a fisherman from Baga, a Nigerian lakeside town, shared his account: « Many villagers were killed. Most victims came from Doron Baga and Taraba State. It’s no secret that fishermen pay Boko Haram to access these fish-rich islands. »
History of collateral damage
The Chadian army has yet to comment on the incident. However, this is not the first time it has faced accusations of inadvertently killing civilians while targeting Boko Haram. In October 2024, a retaliatory strike on Tilma Island, aimed at jihadists responsible for a deadly assault on soldiers, allegedly struck fishermen instead. The military denied targeting non-combatants at the time.
The Lake Chad region has been a battleground for jihadist groups since 2009, hosting both Boko Haram and the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP). The insurgency has claimed over 40,000 lives and displaced two million people in Nigeria alone, according to the United Nations.
The conflict has spilled into neighboring Cameroon, Niger, and Chad, prompting the formation of a multinational force in 2015. However, Niger withdrew from the coalition in 2025, complicating regional efforts to curb the violence.
