KEY POINTS

• More than 40 Nigerian fishermen are feared dead after Chadian air strikes targeting Boko Haram in Lake Chad.
• Some victims were reportedly hit by the strikes, while others drowned while fleeing in overloaded boats.
• Chad confirmed carrying out retaliatory air attacks, but Nigerian and Chadian authorities have not officially commented on the casualties.

Dozens of Nigerian fishermen are feared dead following air strikes carried out by the Chadian military against Boko Haram fighters in the Lake Chad region.

The chairman of the Lake Chad Basin Fisheries Association of Nigeria, Abubakar Gamandi Usman, disclosed that many fishermen have gone missing after the operation. He estimated that more than 40 people may have died in the incident.

According to Usman, some of the fishermen were reportedly caught in the air strikes, while others are believed to have drowned while trying to escape the attacks in overcrowded boats.

He noted that no bodies had been recovered at the time of reporting, making it difficult to confirm the exact number of casualties.

Chad Says Strikes Were Retaliatory

The Chadian presidency had earlier announced on Sunday that its military carried out “intensive air strikes” in retaliation against Boko Haram insurgents operating around the Lake Chad area.

However, authorities in both Chad and Nigeria are yet to officially comment on the reported deaths of the Nigerian fishermen.

The Lake Chad crisis has already displaced millions of people over the years, while thousands of fishermen and farmers have struggled to survive amid persistent attacks, military restrictions, and economic hardship.

Local leaders are now calling for a thorough investigation into the incident and better protection for civilians operating within the Lake Chad fishing corridors.

Security analysts say the incident highlights the dangers civilians face while living and working in conflict-prone areas where military operations against insurgents are frequent.