Several civilians were reportedly killed after a military airstrike hit Guradnayi village near Kusasu in Shiroro Local Government Area of Niger State early on Sunday morning.

The incident is the latest in a series of accidental airstrikes that have affected rural communities in conflict-hit parts of Nigeria.

According to Premium Times, residents said the attack happened around 5 am and followed the movement of armed terrorists on motorcycles through the area.

A resident of Kusasu, Auta Awododo, said at least 12 people died in the house of one of his relatives in Guradnayi.

“It happened around 5 am,” he said.

Mr Awododo also said one of the victims was his cousin’s son.

“Twelve people were killed in his house,” he said. “The rest were Kusasu people who were fleeing from the terrorists.”

Local residents claimed that military aircraft were pursuing terrorists before the bombs were dropped.

“The military first threw a bomb near the river in Kusasu,” one resident said.

“The second bomb was dropped at Guradnayi.”

The Nigerian Air Force had not yet released an official statement on the incident.