NAF investigates deadly airstrike in Borno-Yobe

The Nigerian Air Force has launched an investigation into Saturday’s airstrike that struck a busy market along the Borno-Yobe border, with at least 30 people feared killed and several others injured.

The Chief of the Air Staff has directed the immediate activation of the Civilian Harm Accident and Investigation Cell to proceed to Jilli village on a fact-finding mission, the NAF’s Director of Public Relations and Information, Ehimen Ejodame, said in a statement on Sunday.

“The Service treats all reports of possible civilian harm with the utmost seriousness and empathy, as the protection of innocent lives remains central to all NAF operations,” the statement read.

The airstrike, carried out on Saturday evening, struck Jilli Market — a popular weekly trading centre situated between the Gubio and Geidam areas along the Borno-Yobe border — sending traders and residents fleeing in panic as explosions rocked the busy venue.

A councillor in the area, Lawan Zannah, confirmed the casualty figures to PUNCH Online on Sunday. The Special Adviser to the Yobe State Governor on Security Matters, retired Abdulsalam Dahiru, also confirmed the incident, noting that Jilli village falls within Gubio Local Government Area of Borno State.

The NAF said it would collaborate with relevant authorities and community representatives during the investigation, while urging the public and media to refrain from speculation and allow the review process to proceed without prejudice.

The incident occurred amid intensified air and ground offensives against insurgent groups in the North-East, where the military has sustained counter-terrorism operations in recent months.