Maradi Governor Chaibou Abubakar said the attack took place on Friday in the village of Nachade in Niger’s Maradi region, a few kilometers from the Nigerian border. He said seven children died and five were injured.
He did not say how he learned that Nigerian forces had carried out the attack. Niger’s state television also said it was done by Nigerian forces without providing evidence.
“As a matter of policy, the Nigerian Air Force does not conduct any infiltration into areas outside Nigeria’s territorial borders. This is our policy,” said Major General Jimmy Akpor, Nigeria’s Director of Defense Information. He added that the investigation is ongoing.
The specific reason for the strike is not clear. It took place in an area where bandits are common and where both governments fear that Islamic State-linked Islamic insurgents are tightening their grip.