By Isma’il Babagana, Maiduguri
No fewer than 30 persons are feared dead following a military airstrike that hit a weekly market in Jilli village, located along the border between Borno and Yobe states on Saturday evening.
The incident occurred at the popular Jilli Market situated between Gubio and Geidam areas, throwing traders and residents into panic as explosions rocked the busy trading centre.
A councillor in the area, Lawan Zannah, confirmed the casualty figures in a telephone interview with newsmen on Sunday.
He said, “From the information available to us, it was an airstrike. Over 30 people have been confirmed dead, and more than 20 were hospitalised.”
Eyewitnesses said the attack happened around 4:00 p.m. while commercial activities were ongoing, with several fighter jets reportedly involved in the operation.
One of the witnesses said, “I counted 56 corpses myself, more bodies are still being recovered.”
Sources indicated that the strike might have been targeted at suspected Boko Haram insurgents allegedly gathered in the area, but the bombs reportedly hit the crowded market.
The weekly market attracts traders from neighbouring communities including Gubio, Chiweram, Benisheikh, Gurokayeya and Geidam.
The Special Adviser to the Yobe State Governor on Security Matters, Brig.-Gen. Abdulsalam Dahiru (retd.), confirmed the incident on Sunday, noting that Jilli village falls within Gubio Local Government Area of Borno State.
As of the time of filing this report, the Nigerian Air Force had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
