Chad military strikes kill dozens of fishermen on lake Chad

Military operations by Chad against jihadist groups on Lake Chad have resulted in the presumed deaths of dozens of Nigerian fishermen over the past three days. Eyewitnesses, including members of local anti-jihadist defense groups, reported the incident.

«Estimating the exact death toll remains challenging, as operations are still ongoing,» one witness stated under anonymity.

The Chadian air force initiated airstrikes on Friday targeting islands in Lake Chad controlled by Boko Haram, near the border with Chad. This followed a deadly attack on May 4 against Chadian military forces, which left at least 24 soldiers dead and several injured.

40 fishermen missing after chadian strikes

«The bombings caused significant casualties among Nigerian fishermen who operate in the area with Boko Haram’s authorization,» explained a local observer. «They pay a tax to access these zones, where fish stocks are abundant.» According to the witness, the strikes targeted Shuwa Island, a remote area where the borders of Nigeria, Niger, and Chad converge. Shuwa serves as both a stronghold for Boko Haram and a major fishing hub that attracts workers from across the region.»

A representative from a fishermen’s union confirmed that «40 Nigerian fishermen are missing and likely drowned following the strikes.» This assessment is based on testimonies from survivors who managed to escape.

Adamu Haladu, a fisherman from the Nigerian town of Baga, shared further details: «Numerous people lost their lives. Most victims were from Doron Baga, a Nigerian lakeside town in the state of Borno, as well as Taraba State. It’s no secret that Nigerian fishermen pay taxes to Boko Haram to access these remote islands teeming with fish.»

controversial military tactics in the region

The Chadian army has not yet issued a statement regarding the incident. However, this is not the first time the military has faced accusations of unintentionally targeting civilians while pursuing jihadist groups.

In October 2024, Chad was criticized for a retaliatory airstrike on Tilma Island that killed dozens of civilians. The attack aimed to target Boko Haram militants responsible for the deaths of 40 Chadian soldiers, but witnesses claimed the strikes hit fishing communities by mistake. The Chadian military denied targeting innocent civilians in that operation.

The ongoing jihadist insurgency has claimed over 40,000 lives and displaced two million people in Nigeria’s northeast, according to the UN. The conflict has expanded in recent years into neighboring regions of Niger, Cameroon, and Chad. Lake Chad, a vast water and wetland system spanning Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger, and Chad, has become a hotspot for militant activity since 2009. It now hosts fighters from both Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa Province (ISWAP).

In 2015, Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger reactivated a joint multinational force, originally formed in 1994, to combat these armed groups. However, Niger withdrew from the coalition in 2025.