KANO , Nigeria ( CNN ) A military plane on Tuesday dropped a bomb on mourners in a Niger village on the border with Nigeria , killing 37 people and wounding 20 others , residents and a regional security source in Niger told CNN . `` A military jet on an operational mission against Boko Haram targets accidentally attacked a funeral gathering in Abadam Faransa , killing several people , '' the security source said Wednesday on condition of anonymity . Resident Abatcha Kaloma , who assisted with the burials of the dead , said 37 people were killed and 20 were wounded , figures backed up by a community leader who did n't want to be named . It was unclear which nation 's military carried out the bombing , but residents blamed Nigeria , a charge it denied . Air Commodore Dele Alonge , a spokesman for the Nigerian Air Force , said the military did n't conduct air raids in that area Tuesday . The security source would n't say where the plane was from . Cameroon , Chad , Niger and Nigeria have in recent weeks stepped up a coordinated offensive against Boko Haram , which is based in Nigeria . Chad and Nigeria have used fighter jets as part of a regional alliance to defeat the Islamist group that has recently escalated its deadly attacks on Nigeria and its neighbors . The incident took place around 6:30 p.m. outside the home of a local official who died hours earlier . Boko Haram , whose name translates as `` Western education is sin , '' has been waging a yearslong campaign of terror aimed at instituting its extreme version of Sharia law . Its tactics have intensified in recent years , from battling government soldiers to acts disproportionately affecting civilians -- such as raids on villages , mass kidnappings , assassinations , market bombings and attacks on churches and unaffiliated mosques . Much of this violence has taken place in Nigeria . But neighboring countries , such as Cameroon and Chad , have also been hit increasingly hard . Niger became more of a target after its decision to join the regional alliance fighting the Islamist group . CNN 's Steve Almasy contributed to this story .
Nigeria denies it flew any sorties in the area on day in question . Security source says it was an accident as target was Boko Haram militants . Resident who helped bury dead says 37 people were killed .