Survivors and observers have questioned the Nigerian military’s justification for a devastating airstrike on a busy market that killed as many as 200 people, many of them civilians.
The strike hit Jilli market on Saturday on the border of north-eastern Borno and Yobe states. The attack is the latest in a series of air force operations over the past decade that have resulted in a high civilian death toll.
The military has described the assault as a “precision airstrike” carried out as part of its campaign against a jihadist group. But the scale of the destruction has renewed scrutiny over the risks faced by civilians in counterterrorism operations in the region.
Jilli market was busy at the time of the attack, according to the source report, adding to concerns among survivors and local observers about how the target was selected and whether the operation was carried out with sufficient caution.
The incident fits into a broader and long-running pattern in north-eastern Nigeria, where air force attacks have repeatedly been linked to civilian casualties. For residents in affected communities, the latest bombing has intensified the sense that military operations against armed groups can come at a heavy cost to ordinary people.
The Guardian report said the strike has prompted fresh questions about the rationale behind the attack, especially given the reported civilian toll. With no additional details included in the source about the specific target or the military’s evidence, the bombing is being viewed by critics and survivors as part of a continuing debate over accountability in Nigeria’s anti-terror campaign.
