A military air strike on Tumfa market in Zamfara State's Zurmi area left at least 72 people dead on Sunday. Rights groups fear the actual toll could be far higher as recovery efforts continue.
Community leader Garba Mashema told AFP that many victims were civilians. Bodies were "blown beyond recognition" after the bombardment, he said.
Mashema explained the difficulty in confirming exact numbers. "Everybody, residents and bandits, goes to the market," he told the news agency.
Local reports indicated the market sits in a bandit-controlled zone. Traders caught in the strike included women and young girls selling millet porridge and tofu.
Amnesty International put the death toll much higher, at over 100 people. One affected community buried roughly 80 victims in a mass grave following the attack.
The rights group condemned the incident in a statement. They called on Nigerian authorities to investigate immediately and hold those responsible accountable.
"The authorities must investigate these deadly strikes and end reckless attacks on civilians," Amnesty International said. "Survivors and families deserve truth, justice and reparations."
According to the organisation, military jets struck the crowded weekly market without warning. Survivors reported chaos, blood, and bodies scattered across the ground.
Injured victims were rushed to hospitals in Zurmi and Shinkafi. More critical cases went to Yariman Bakura Specialist Hospital in Gusau.
On the same day, another Nigerian Air Force operation in Niger State allegedly killed 13 civilians targeting bandits. The military denied involvement in civilian deaths there.
Michael Onoja, the Defence Ministry's Director of Military Operations, rejected claims of civilian casualties in Zamfara. He dismissed the reports as "not true," he stated.
Military officials also denied allegations from the Niger State operation. However, they promised to investigate the incident, according to reports.
