By Ghazali Ibrahim
Hundreds of civilians have been killed following a Nigerian military airstrike that mistakenly struck a local market in Yobe State during an operation targeting insurgents in the country’s northeast.
The incident occurred at a busy weekly market near the Borno–Yobe border, where residents and humanitarian groups say the air raid hit traders and civilians instead of suspected militants.
Reports indicate that the strike was aimed at Boko Haram fighters believed to be operating in the area, but missed its intended target.
Casualty figures remain unclear, with some accounts putting the death toll at over 50, while others suggest that more than 100 people may have been killed. In one report, as many as 200 people were feared dead, highlighting the scale of the tragedy.
Local officials and witnesses said the attack took place while normal trading activities were ongoing, resulting in heavy civilian casualties and multiple injuries.
Emergency responders and residents were seen rushing victims to nearby medical facilities as authorities began assessing the damage.
The Nigerian military acknowledged carrying out an air operation in the area based on intelligence of an imminent militant threat but has not provided detailed clarification on the reported civilian deaths.
The latest incident adds to a growing list of accidental airstrikes in Nigeria’s conflict zones, where military operations against insurgent groups have at times resulted in civilian casualties due to faulty intelligence and targeting errors.
Yobe and neighbouring Borno State remain at the centre of a prolonged insurgency involving Boko Haram and its splinter group, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), a conflict that has killed thousands and displaced millions over the past decade.
The tragedy has sparked renewed concerns over the conduct of military operations and the need for improved intelligence to prevent further civilian harm in Nigeria’s ongoing fight against insurgency.
