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At least 30 people are feared to have lost their lives following a military airstrike that hit a busy weekly market in Jilli village, a border community between Borno State and Yobe State, on Saturday evening.
The strike reportedly occurred at the busy Jilli Market, located between Gubio and Geidam, at a time when traders and residents were gathering to carry out routine commercial activities. The incident sparked widespread panic when the explosion occurred in a busy market.
Confirming the development, a local councilor, Lawan Zannah, revealed the death toll during a telephone conversation on Sunday.
He said, “From the information we got, it was an airstrike. More than 30 people are confirmed dead, and more than 20 people are hospitalized.”
Eyewitnesses described a chaotic scene, and noted that the attack took place at around 16:00, with several fighter jets allegedly involved in the operation.
One witness described the scale of the destruction, saying, “I myself counted 56 bodies, many more are still being discovered.”
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Initial reports indicated that the attack may have been aimed at suspected Boko Haram insurgents believed to be operating in the area. However, the bombs reportedly landed in a busy market, raising fears of civilian casualties.
The weekly market is a major commercial center that attracts traders from surrounding communities, including Gubio, Chiweram, Benisheikh, Gurokayeya, and Geidam.
Responding to the incident, the Special Adviser on Security Affairs to the Governor of Yobe State, Brigadier General Abdulsalam Dahiru (ret.), confirmed the incident but clarified the geographical location of the affected communities.
According to him, Jilli Village is within the Gubio Local Government Area of Borno State.
Until this news was published, the Nigerian Air Force had not issued an official statement regarding the air attack.
