Civilians feared killed after reports of air strike on Nigerian market
Nigerian Market Strike Raises Concerns Over Civilian Casualties
Nigerian military jets reportedly targeted a village market in the northeast, sparking fears of civilian deaths. The incident occurred near the border of Yobe and Borno states, amid operations against Islamist militants, as reported by Reuters and local media. While the Nigerian Air Force stated it conducted “mop-up” strikes on “identified terrorist locations” along the Jilli axis in Borno on Saturday, it has not yet confirmed if the market was hit or if casualties were sustained.
Targeted Strikes and Regional Conflict
The Jilli market area is a focal point of the ongoing Boko Haram insurgency, which has displaced over two million people and claimed thousands of lives. The Air Force described follow-on attacks as efforts to eliminate “fleeing remnants and regrouping cells” using the region’s challenging terrain to their advantage.
Varied Accounts of Casualties
Reports on the number of fatalities differ significantly. Reuters, citing Lawan Zanna Nur Geidam, a local councillor, and three residents, stated at least 200 individuals were killed. Meanwhile, the Sun and Punch claimed only 10 deaths with several injuries, while the Daily Trust reported an eyewitness saying 56 people perished, and 14 were hospitalized.
“It’s a very devastating incident,” said Zanna Nur Geidam, adding that injured individuals were taken to hospitals in Yobe and Borno.
Amnesty International’s Nigeria branch criticized the strike, asserting it 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 government of Yobe state acknowledged some residents were affected, with Brigadier General Dahiru Abdulsalam noting that people from the Geidam local government area, near Gubio in Borno, were among those impacted. Ahmed Ali, a 43-year-old trader, told Reuters he was injured during the blast. “I became so scared and attempted to run away, but a friend dragged me and we all lay on the ground,” he recounted.
In a Facebook statement, the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency mentioned receiving “preliminary reports” of casualties at the Jilli Market in Gubio, though it emphasized details remain unverified. Emergency teams were deployed, but the nature of the incident and casualty figures are still under investigation.
The northeast has seen multiple incidents where military air strikes have mistakenly targeted civilians, including villages and displacement camps, in recent years.
