Chad Air Strikes Leave Dozens of Nigerians Feared Dead

Tragedy strikes the Lake Chad Basin as over 40 Nigerian fishers are feared dead following airstrikes launched by Chad aimed at Boko Haram positions.

Abubakar Gamandi Usman, the chairman of the Lake Chad Basin Fisheries Association of Nigeria, expressed grave concerns that some fishers might have been directly struck during the assaults, while others reportedly drowned while attempting to escape in overcrowded boats. As of now, no bodies have been recovered from the water. The Chadian government described the air raids as retribution for recent Boko Haram attacks on military installations near Lake Chad, incidents which led to the deaths of at least 24 soldiers, including two generals.

This area, which encompasses Nigeria, Chad, Niger, and Cameroon, continues to be a significant stronghold for both Boko Haram and the Islamic State in West Africa. Fishers operating in these waters often find themselves under the control of Boko Haram, with the group imposing taxes on their access to fishing grounds.