The Nigerian fishing community is reeling from a devastating military operation in the Lake Tchad region. Witnesses report that dozens of Nigerian fishermen are feared dead following aerial strikes by the Chadian army targeting jihadist positions near the Chadian border.

«It’s challenging to determine the exact death toll as the operation remains ongoing,» a local militia member, speaking on condition of anonymity, shared. The strikes, which began on Friday, targeted islands under Boko Haram’s control in retaliation for an earlier attack on a Chadian military base on May 4 that left at least 24 soldiers dead and several wounded.

40 fishermen reported missing

According to a local fishermen’s union representative, «40 Nigerian fishermen have gone missing and are presumed drowned after the bombings.» His account is supported by survivors who escaped the strikes. The assaults focused on Shuwa Island—a hotspot for jihadist activity and a thriving fishing hub where fishermen pay taxes to Boko Haram to access the area’s rich waters.

Fishing communities in Doron Baga, along Nigeria’s Lake Tchad shoreline, and in Taraba State, have been severely affected. «Many people lost their lives. Most victims came from these areas,» confirmed Adamu Haladu, a fisherman from Baga. He emphasized the grim reality that Nigerian fishermen must pay levies to Boko Haram to fish in these isolated, resource-rich zones.

chadian military strikes spark controversy

The Chadian military has not yet issued a statement regarding the incident. This isn’t the first time the army has faced accusations of unintentionally harming civilians during operations against Boko Haram.

In October 2024, Chadian forces were criticized for a retaliatory strike on Tilma Island targeting Boko Haram militants, who had earlier killed 40 soldiers. However, witnesses alleged the bombings killed numerous civilians instead. The Chadian army denied targeting non-combatants.

boko haram’s brutal legacy in the lake Tchad region

The jihadist insurgency, which has claimed over 40,000 lives and displaced two million people in Nigeria’s northeast, has spread across bordering regions in Niger, Cameroon, and Tchad. Since 2009, Lake Tchad—a vast wetland spanning Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, and Tchad—has become a stronghold for both Boko Haram and the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP).

In 2015, the four countries reactivated the Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF) to combat these groups. However, Niger withdrew from the regional force in 2025.

This tragic incident highlights the escalating violence and collateral damage in the Lake Tchad basin, where civilians—particularly fishermen—bear the brunt of ongoing clashes.