More than 100 civilians, including children, have reportedly been killed following a Nigerian Air Force air strike on a busy weekly market in Yobe State. The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon at the Jilli market, situated in a remote border region between Borno and Yobe states, an area long plagued by insurgent activity.
Rights groups and local survivors have confirmed the scale of the tragedy, which officials have since described as a "misfire." Amnesty International reported that its investigators spoke directly with victims and hospital staff. "We have their pictures and they include children," stated Isa Sanusi, Amnesty International’s Nigeria director. He added that the organisation is in constant contact with those on the ground and at the Geidam General Hospital, where dozens of survivors are receiving treatment for severe blast injuries.
The Yobe State Government acknowledged the incident on Sunday, clarifying that while the military operation targeted a known Boko Haram stronghold, civilians were caught in the crossfire. Dahiru Abdulsalam, the special adviser on security matters to the Yobe State Governor, said the strike was conducted by the Air Component of Operation Hadin Kai. "Some people from Geidam LGA bordering Gubio LGA in Borno state who went to the Jilli weekly market were affected," he noted in an official statement.
Amnesty International has called for an immediate independent inquiry into the operation, describing the use of air raids in such settings as "unlawful." The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) has since activated emergency response mechanisms under the directive of Governor Mai Mala Buni to provide support to the affected families and survivors.