Nigerian Airstrikes Kill Dozens in Borno-Yobe Market

Nigerian military airstrikes targeting Boko Haram insurgents struck a bustling market along the border of Borno and Yobe states on Saturday evening, killing dozens of civilians and wounding others, according to local officials and residents.

The incident occurred at Jilli Market, a weekly trading hub near Gubio in Borno State and Geidam in Yobe State, drawing traders and buyers from surrounding communities including Chibok, Benisheikh, and Gurokayeya. Witnesses described fighter jets launching attacks around 2:46 p.m. local time while market activities were underway. Local sources indicated the strikes were part of a coordinated operation under Operation Hadin Kai, aimed at pursuing suspected insurgents who frequent the area to collect levies from traders and gather supplies.

Casualty figures remain unconfirmed and vary widely across reports. A councillor for the Fuchimeram ward in Geidam district, Lawan Zanna Nur Geidam, told reporters that over 200 people had lost their lives, describing the event as a devastating incident at the market. Three residents and an official from an international humanitarian agency corroborated the high death toll estimate. Other accounts, however,...