Civilians are feared to have died after reports that Nigerian military jets struck a village market in the north-east of the country. The attack took place near the border between Yobe and Borno states while an aircraft was said to be engaged in an operation against Islamist militants in the area, according to the Reuters news agency and local reports.
The Nigerian Air Force said it carried out mop-up air strikes on identified terrorist locations within the Jilli axis of Borno State on Saturday but has not confirmed that it struck the market nor confirmed casualties. The area is at the centre of the long-running Boko Haram insurgency, which has forced more than two million people to flee their homes and killed thousands.
The Nigerian Air Force's statement said follow-on strikes on Saturday were aimed at fleeing remnants and regrouping cells seeking to exploit the difficult terrain. There are conflicting reports of casualties from the strike on the market, with a councillor, Lawan Zanna Nur Geidam, and three residents citing the death of at least 200 people.
Geidam described the situation as very devastating, stating that the injured had been taken to hospitals in Yobe and Borno. Mixed reports emerged, with some local outlets stating ten fatalities while others claimed a higher count of 56 deaths. The market typically attracts a large number of traders and buyers from surrounding communities.
In response to the incident, the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency announced the deployment of assessment teams to the market area. Brigadier General Dahiru Abdulsalam confirmed that residents from Geidam LGA were affected, and traders attending the market were among the casualties.
Ahmed Ali, a 43-year-old injured trader, recounted the panic during the blast, detailing efforts to take cover. Human rights group Amnesty International condemned the airstrikes, claiming over 100 fatalities and asserting that air raids are not a legitimate law enforcement method. The situation in Nigeria's northeast remains tense, with previous incidents witnessing civilian casualties during military operations against Islamic insurgents.
The Nigerian Air Force said it carried out mop-up air strikes on identified terrorist locations within the Jilli axis of Borno State on Saturday but has not confirmed that it struck the market nor confirmed casualties. The area is at the centre of the long-running Boko Haram insurgency, which has forced more than two million people to flee their homes and killed thousands.
The Nigerian Air Force's statement said follow-on strikes on Saturday were aimed at fleeing remnants and regrouping cells seeking to exploit the difficult terrain. There are conflicting reports of casualties from the strike on the market, with a councillor, Lawan Zanna Nur Geidam, and three residents citing the death of at least 200 people.
Geidam described the situation as very devastating, stating that the injured had been taken to hospitals in Yobe and Borno. Mixed reports emerged, with some local outlets stating ten fatalities while others claimed a higher count of 56 deaths. The market typically attracts a large number of traders and buyers from surrounding communities.
In response to the incident, the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency announced the deployment of assessment teams to the market area. Brigadier General Dahiru Abdulsalam confirmed that residents from Geidam LGA were affected, and traders attending the market were among the casualties.
Ahmed Ali, a 43-year-old injured trader, recounted the panic during the blast, detailing efforts to take cover. Human rights group Amnesty International condemned the airstrikes, claiming over 100 fatalities and asserting that air raids are not a legitimate law enforcement method. The situation in Nigeria's northeast remains tense, with previous incidents witnessing civilian casualties during military operations against Islamic insurgents.
