No fewer than 56 persons, mostly traders, have been feared killed following an airstrike on a busy weekly market located along the border between Borno and Yobe states.
The incident reportedly occurred on Saturday at Jilli Market, situated between Gubio Local Government Area of Borno State and Geidam Local Government Area of Yobe State.
Sources said the strike was carried out during a military operation targeting suspected Boko Haram insurgents believed to have infiltrated the market to collect levies and procure supplies.
However, the operation was said to have gone off target, hitting traders and residents during peak business hours.
Eyewitness accounts indicated that the attack occurred around 2:46 p.m., when multiple fighter jets reportedly released bombs on the area.
One of the witnesses said dozens of people were killed instantly, while several others sustained varying degrees of injuries.
“I counted over 50 bodies at the scene and assisted in evacuating injured victims to the hospital. The casualty figure may rise as more bodies are being recovered,” the source said.
It was gathered that at least 14 injured victims were receiving treatment at the Specialist Hospital in Geidam, Yobe State.
Confirming the development, a local councillor, Malam Lawan Zanna, said the market falls within the Fichimaram Ward in Geidam, adding that many victims were rushed to hospital following the incident.
He noted that the number of casualties remained uncertain, as rescue efforts were still ongoing and some of the injured had died while receiving treatment.
The Special Adviser to the Yobe State Governor on Security Matters, Brigadier General Abdulsalam Dahiru (retd.), also confirmed the incident but clarified that the affected community lies within Borno State territory.
As of the time of filing this report, the Nigerian Air Force had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
The affected market is known to attract traders from surrounding communities across both states, making it a major commercial hub in the area.
