Over 60 Dead In Jilli Airstrike as Stakeholders Demand Probe
More than 60 people are confirmed dead after a military airstrike on Jilli market along the Borno-Yobe border, with injured victims evacuated to hospitals in Geidam and Damaturu, intensifying demands for accountability over civilian casualties.
The Nigerian military defended the operation as intelligence-led, stating it targeted an ISWAP logistics hub, even as it ordered a probe. “The strike was a targeted military action based on credible intelligence,” former Chief of Army Staff Tukur Buratai said, noting Jilli market’s history as a terrorist logistics base. He attributed civilian casualties to insurgents operating within civilian populations as human shields.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar condemned the airstrike, describing it as a failure in civilian protection. “At home, we must ask: what is the value of Nigerian lives?” he said, calling for reassessment of operational procedures and accountability mechanisms.
Amnesty International cited witness accounts indicating three military jets fired on the market, with Geidam General Hospital receiving at least 35 severely injured persons. The rights group described the use of air raids in such circumstances as unlawful and called for an immediate, impartial investigation.
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre condemned the incident as reflecting a recurring pattern of civilian harm. Executive Director Auwal Ibrahim Musa cited structural gaps including weak intelligence verification and limited precision-targeting capacity, demanding a civilian-led investigative panel comprising NHRC, civil society and international observers.
Yobe State Government stated the airstrike targeted a Boko Haram stronghold in Jilli, Gubio LGA, Borno State. Special Adviser on Security Dahiru Abdulsalam said some Geidam residents were affected because they travelled to the weekly market. The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency confirmed the incident as an accidental airstrike involving civilians.
The Nigerian Air Force ordered activation of its Civilian Harm Accident and Investigation Cell for a fact-finding mission. Spokesman Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame said the service treats all reports of possible civilian harm with seriousness and empathy, reaffirming commitment to professionalism, accountability and transparency.
Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum warned residents against aiding insurgents, stating his administration closed Jilli and Gazabure markets five years ago. He reaffirmed commitment to protecting residents through sustained collaboration with security agencies.
Related concerns emerged as former presidential candidate Gbenga Hashim raised alarm over underreported killings across Nigeria, citing Shanga LGA Kebbi State and parts of North-Central region. Pan-Yoruba group Afenifere also expressed concern over coordinated attacks on military formations and civilians across multiple states, linking the situation to internal sabotage and calling for comprehensive security review.