Civilians feared killed after reports of air strike on Nigerian market
Civilians feared killed after reports of air strike on Nigerian market
Reports of a deadly air strike on a market in Nigeria’s northeast have raised fears of civilian casualties. The attack, which occurred near the Yobe-Borno state border, was attributed to military jets engaged in operations against Islamist militants, as noted by Reuters and local media sources.
The Nigerian Air Force stated that it conducted “mop-up” strikes on “identified terrorist locations” in Borno State’s Jilli axis on Saturday. However, it has not confirmed whether the market was directly targeted or if any casualties resulted from the operation.
Conflicting Accounts of Casualties
Details about the number of casualties remain unclear. Reuters cited a local councillor, Lawan Zanna Nur Geidam, and three residents, claiming at least 200 people were killed. Geidam described the incident as “devastating,” noting that injured individuals were taken to hospitals in Yobe and Borno.
“It’s a very devastating incident,” said Zanna Nur Geidam, who added that the injured had been transported to nearby medical facilities.
Other reports, including from the Sun and Punch newspapers, indicated that 10 people were killed, with several injured. Meanwhile, the Daily Trust quoted an eyewitness stating that at least 56 had died and 14 were hospitalized.
The government of Yobe State confirmed that some residents from its bordering Geidam local government area were affected by the strike. Brigadier General Dahiru Abdulsalam shared this on Facebook, noting that people from Geidam LGA who attended the Jilli weekly market were among those impacted.
Humanitarian Concerns and Ongoing Investigations
Amnesty International’s Nigeria branch criticized the attack, asserting that it had killed “over 100 people.” A post on X stated, “Launching air raids is not a legitimate law enforcement method by anyone’s standard. Such reckless use of deadly force is unlawful, outrageous and lays bare the Nigerian military’s shocking disregard for the lives of those it supposedly exists to protect.”
The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency shared a Facebook statement on Sunday, mentioning “preliminary reports” of casualties at Jilli Market in Gubio local government area. It emphasized that emergency teams had been dispatched, though the exact nature of the incident and casualty figures were still under review.
The region has witnessed multiple incidents where military air operations against Islamist insurgents have inadvertently hit civilian areas, including villages and displaced person camps. These events highlight ongoing challenges in distinguishing combatants from non-combatants during conflict zones.
