Nigerian Military Airstrike Kills Over 100 Civilians at Village Market

Nigerian military jets struck a village market in Jilli near the Yobe-Borno state border on Saturday, killing between 10 and 200 people according to conflicting reports, with Amnesty International confirming over 100 deaths. The Nigerian Air Force stated it targeted terrorist locations in the Boko Haram insurgency zone but has not confirmed striking the market or casualties. The Jilli weekly market attracts traders from surrounding communities, and Yobe State officials confirmed some of their residents attending the market were affected. This incident continues a pattern of Nigerian military air operations mistakenly hitting civilians in northeastern Nigeria, where the Boko Haram insurgency has killed thousands and displaced over two million people.

Military airstrike on civilian market and casualty reports

• ▪The Daily Trust reported that an eyewitness said at least 56 people had died, with 14 others hospitalised.
• ▪Amnesty International's Nigeria branch said the strike had killed over 100 people.
• ▪The Nigerian Air Force carried out air strikes on identified terrorist locations within the Jilli axis of Borno State on Saturday.
• ▪Market trader Ahmed Ali, 43, was injured in the blast.
• ▪Nigerian outlets the Sun and Punch reported sources saying that 10 people had been killed in the strike.
• ▪The Nigerian Air Force has not confirmed that it struck the market nor confirmed casualties.
• ▪Councillor Lawan Zanna Nur Geidam and three residents reported that at least 200 people had been killed in the strike.

Official responses and emergency management actions

• ▪The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency received preliminary reports of an incident at Jilli Market in the Gubio local government area.
• ▪Brigadier General Dahiru Abdulsalam stated that people from Geidam local government area bordering Gubio local government area in Borno state who went to the Jilli weekly market were affected.
• ▪Amnesty International's Nigeria branch described the use of deadly force as unlawful and outrageous, showing the Nigerian military's disregard for the lives of those it exists to protect.
• ▪The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency stated that details regarding the nature of the incident and the number of casualties remain unverified.
• ▪The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency deployed assessment teams to the Jilli Market area.
• ▪Amnesty International's Nigeria branch stated that launching air raids is not a legitimate law enforcement method.

Pattern of civilian casualties in counter-insurgency operations

• ▪The area near the Yobe and Borno states border is at the centre of the long-running Boko Haram insurgency.
• ▪The Boko Haram insurgency has forced more than two million people to flee their homes.

Perspective of Amnesty International

• ▪Amnesty International's Nigeria branch stated that launching air raids is not a legitimate law enforcement method.
• ▪Amnesty International's Nigeria branch described the use of deadly force as unlawful and outrageous, showing the Nigerian military's disregard for the lives of those it exists to protect.

Perspective of Nigerian Air Force

• ▪The Nigerian Air Force has not confirmed that it struck the market nor confirmed casualties.
• ▪The Nigerian Air Force carried out air strikes on identified terrorist locations within the Jilli axis of Borno State on Saturday.

Perspective of Yobe State Government

• ▪Brigadier General Dahiru Abdulsalam stated that people from Geidam local government area bordering Gubio local government area in Borno state who went to the Jilli weekly market were affected.
• ▪The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency stated that details regarding the nature of the incident and the number of casualties remain unverified.

6 sources