Over 200 Feared Dead as Nigerian Airstrike Hits Market Near Yobe–Borno Border

At least 200 people are feared dead after a Nigerian military airstrike struck a crowded village market in northeastern Yobe State, according to local officials and residents.

The incident, which occurred on Saturday night near the border with Borno State, has prompted the Nigerian Air Force to launch an investigation into reports of civilian casualties.

In a statement, the Air Force said it had activated its Civilian Harm Accident and Investigation Cell “to immediately proceed to the location on a ⁠fact-finding mission on the allegation.”

Earlier, the military said it had targeted and killed Boko Haram militants in the Jilli axis of Borno State. However, authorities in neighbouring Yobe State later confirmed that the strike occurred near a busy market where civilians had gathered.

Brigadier General Dahiru Abdulsalam, military adviser to the Yobe State government, said, “Some people from Geidam LGA (local government area) bordering Gubio LGA in Borno state who went to the Jilli weekly market were affected.”

The attack took place in an area long affected by insurgency, with civilians often caught in the crossfire between security forces and armed groups.

Lawan Zanna Nur Geidam, a local councillor and traditional leader, described the scale of the devastation, saying, “It’s a very devastating incident at Jilli Market. As I’m speaking to you, over 200 people have lost their lives from the air strike at the market.”

He added that many of the injured had been transported to hospitals across Yobe and Borno states for treatment.

Multiple residents and a humanitarian official corroborated reports of the strike and the high casualty figures.

One survivor, Ahmed Ali, a trader at the market, recounted the moment of the explosion from his hospital bed: “I became so scared and attempted to run away, but a friend dragged me and we all lay on the ground.”

The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency confirmed it had received preliminary reports of the incident, noting that it “reportedly resulted in casualties affecting some marketers” and that emergency response efforts had been activated.