Nigerian Airstrike on Market Kills Up to 200, Survivors Question Military's 'Precision' Claim
Survivors and observers are demanding answers after a devastating Nigerian air force strike on a busy market in the north-east of the country killed as many as 200 people, with many of the victims reported to be civilians. The military has described the attack as a 'precision airstrike' targeting jihadist groups, but local accounts and human rights organisations strongly contest this narrative, raising serious concerns about accountability and the conduct of anti-terror operations.
Market Bombing in Jilli Leaves Trail of Destruction
The airstrike hit Jilli market, located on the border of Borno and Yobe states, on Saturday. Initial reports from a local councillor indicate over 200 fatalities, while Amnesty International has confirmed a death toll above 100, with numbers still rising. The market, a weekly gathering point for hundreds, if not thousands, of people, was reduced to chaos, with dozens of injured victims, like 42-year-old Mala Garba, receiving treatment in hospitals in Maiduguri and Damaturu. Garba, recovering from his injuries, told Agence France-Presse, 'I don't know if there were jihadists at the market. We are just ordinary people.'
Military Justification and Civilian Casualties
In a statement on X, the Nigerian military, attributed to spokesperson Sani Uba, claimed the strike was a 'successful' operation based on 'sustained intelligence' against a 'known terrorist enclave and logistics hub' near Jilli. They asserted that a post-strike assessment confirmed 'high accuracy' and the 'neutralisation' of scores of terrorists. However, Yobe state officials later admitted that civilians were affected, with Brig Gen Dahiru Abdulsalam, a military adviser, acknowledging to Reuters that 'some people... who went to the Jilli weekly market were affected.'
Researchers like Malik Samuel from Good Governance Africa note that while the area is a known logistics route for the Islamic State West Africa Province (Iswap), a splinter group from Boko Haram, distinguishing fighters from civilians in a crowded market is 'impossible.' Samuel questioned the tactic, suggesting, 'Would it not be better to trace people leaving the market and going to known areas occupied by this group... instead of just hitting a market that you know clearly that there would be civilians in this place?'
Pattern of Civilian Deaths and Lack of Accountability
This incident is not isolated. According to the Associated Press, Nigeria's military has killed at least 500 civilians in airstrikes since 2017. Notable past tragedies include the bombing of a displaced persons camp in Borno in 2017, which killed at least 115, and airstrikes on a religious gathering in Kaduna state in December 2023, resulting in over 120 deaths. Isa Sanusi, Amnesty International Nigeria's executive director, criticised the lack of independent investigation, stating, 'You cannot trust the military to investigate themselves. Whenever they investigate themselves, the outcome is as usual: they exonerate themselves.' He warned that such actions undermine public trust and the fight against insurgency and banditry.
Broader Context of Nigeria's Security Challenges
Nigeria faces multiple security crises, including a 17-year insurgency by Boko Haram and its offshoot Iswap in the north-east, armed banditry in the north-west, and deadly clashes between herders and farmers in the middle belt. The US has previously accused Nigeria of failing to protect Christians from jihadists, though Muslim civilians are also frequent victims. In a related development, on Christmas Day 2025, the US conducted airstrikes on an Islamist group in north-west Nigeria, highlighting the international dimension of the conflict. This latest market bombing underscores the urgent need for more precise and accountable military strategies to prevent further civilian suffering in Nigeria's protracted conflicts.
