Amnesty condemns Jilli market airstrike

Amnesty International has condemned a military airstrike on a market along the Borno–Yobe border.

Several civilians were reportedly killed and injured in the strike, which occurred on Saturday at Jilli Market between Gubio and Geidam local government areas of Yobe and Borno states.

The airstrike was said to have taken place during a military operation targeting suspected Boko Haram insurgents in the area.

In a statement on Sunday, the organisation said witnesses reported that three military jets bombed the market, killing over 100 people.

Amnesty added that the emergency unit of Geidam General Hospital had received at least 35 people with severe injuries following the incident.

The group criticised the use of air power in a civilian setting and questioned the legality of the operation.

“Launching air raids is not a legitimate law enforcement method by anyone’s standard,” the statement read.

“Such reckless use of deadly force is unlawful, outrageous and lays bare the Nigerian military’s disregard for civilian lives.”

The organisation called on authorities to take urgent steps to establish accountability and prevent a recurrence.

“The Nigerian authorities must immediately and impartially investigate the incident and ensure that suspected perpetrators are held to account,” it said.