Nigerian Military Strike on Jilli Village Market Kills Dozens, Sparks Outrage Over Civilian Toll

Dozens of people are feared dead after Nigerian military aircraft struck a village market in northeastern Nigeria while pursuing members of the rebel group Boko Haram, according to local officials and Amnesty International. The attack, which occurred in Jilli village in Yobe state on the border with Borno state, has sparked outrage and raised urgent questions about the military's use of force in densely populated areas. Local chief Lawan Zanna Nur Geidam told AFP that the total casualties—both dead and injured—could reach 200, citing the chaotic aftermath of the strike. The village, located in a region long plagued by violence from Boko Haram, has become a focal point for the conflict that has displaced millions and killed thousands over the past decade.

Amnesty International reported on Sunday that more than 100 people were killed and 35 others wounded in the attack, which occurred the previous day. The human rights group condemned the strike as a "reckless use of deadly force" and accused the Nigerian military of showing a "shocking disregard for the lives of those it supposedly exists to protect." The organization called for an immediate and impartial investigation into the incident, urging authorities to hold suspected perpetrators accountable. Meanwhile, the Nigerian Air Force issued a statement claiming it had killed Boko Haram fighters in an air strike on the Jilli axis in Borno state but did not mention hitting a market.

The Yobe state government later acknowledged that an air strike had occurred near the Jilli market, where civilians were gathered. Brigadier General Dahiru Abdulsalam, a military adviser to the Yobe state government, said that people from Geidam LGA, bordering Gubio LGA in Borno state, who attended the weekly market were affected. He provided no further details about the scale of the casualties or the circumstances of the strike. The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) confirmed receiving preliminary reports of the incident and activated emergency response protocols. According to SEMA, the attack "reportedly resulted in casualties affecting some marketers," though the full extent of the damage remains unclear.

Local hospitals in Geidam and Maiduguri have reported treating at least 23 injured individuals, according to a worker at the Geidam General Hospital. The Associated Press noted that many of the wounded were transported from Jilli to these facilities, highlighting the immediate medical strain on the region's already overburdened healthcare system. The attack has reignited concerns about the safety of civilians in areas targeted by military operations against Boko Haram, particularly in markets and other public spaces where civilians often congregate.

The Nigerian military's response to the incident has been criticized as evasive, with officials failing to address the specific targeting of a civilian market. Amnesty International emphasized that air raids are not a legitimate law enforcement method under international standards, calling the strike "unlawful" and "outrageous." The group's condemnation underscores growing scrutiny of the Nigerian military's tactics in the northeast, where repeated allegations of civilian casualties have been documented. As the death toll rises and families mourn, the incident has once again exposed the precarious balance between counterterrorism efforts and the protection of civilian lives in one of Africa's most volatile regions.