More than 100 civilians are feared dead in Yobe after a Nigerian Air Force strike targeting suspected Boko Haram insurgents reportedly hit a busy weekly market in Jilli, a border community between Yobe and Borno states, triggering fresh concerns over civilian casualties in the country’s counter-insurgency operations.
The strike occurred on Saturday during a military operation in Nigeria’s North-East, with traders, residents, and children said to be among those affected at the crowded market.
Local officials and rights groups warned that the death toll may rise further as rescue efforts continue and more bodies are recovered from the scene.
Residents said the market was busy at the time of the strike, with many people gathered for the weekly trading activities.
Amnesty International said it had confirmed from survivors and hospital sources that at least 100 people were killed, while dozens more sustained severe injuries.
The rights group disclosed that children were among the victims and called for an urgent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the airstrike.
Officials in Yobe State confirmed that the military operation was intended to target a Boko Haram enclave in the area but acknowledged that civilians at the nearby Jilli market were affected.
Emergency response teams have since been deployed to assist victims and support evacuation efforts.
The Nigerian military said the operation was aimed at a terrorist logistics hub but did not immediately provide a breakdown of civilian casualties.
The development has once again thrown the spotlight on repeated incidents involving civilian deaths during military air operations in conflict-prone regions.
Security experts have consistently raised concerns over intelligence failures and poor coordination between air and ground forces, especially in areas where insurgents often operate close to civilian populations.
The Jilli market lies within one of the most volatile insurgency corridors in the country, along the Borno-Yobe axis, where Boko Haram and allied extremist groups have remained active for years.
The latest incident is expected to intensify calls for greater accountability and stronger safeguards to protect civilian lives during military operations.
