The Nigerian Air Force conducted a mistaken operation after dispatching warplanes to attack an armed group, but the bombs instead hit a market in a remote northeastern area, killing more than 100 civilians. Amnesty International has urged an independent inquiry, while the military confirmed the error, claiming the strike was aimed at dismantling a terrorist stronghold.
A human rights group reported on the tragedy last Saturday (11 April), when an airstrike by the Nigerian Air Force targeting a terrorist group went awry and struck a local market in a village in Yobe State near the Borno State border, which has been a center of conflict with armed groups for over a decade.
Isa Sanusi, director of Amnesty International in Nigeria, revealed that after investigations and interviews with survivors and hospital officials, at least 100 people died, including several children confirmed by photographs. Additionally, many severely injured victims are currently receiving treatment at Gaidam Hospital.
The Yobe State government issued a statement acknowledging the "mistaken firing," explaining that the military originally targeted a Boko Haram stronghold, but the explosion affected civilians shopping at the weekly market. Emergency management agencies have deployed relief teams to the area.
However, the Nigerian military released a conflicting statement, claiming the operation successfully destroyed "a hideout and logistics center" of the terrorist group and killed many jihadists riding motorcycles. They emphasized that the area is a restricted zone with a strict ban on motorcycle use, and any movement there is tightly controlled.
Such errors are not new in Nigeria; statistics show that since 2017, at least 500 civilians have died from mistaken military strikes. Security analysts attribute these incidents to intelligence shortcomings and a lack of effective coordination between ground and air units.
Currently, Nigeria, Africa's most populous country, faces a complex security crisis, especially in the north where Boko Haram, the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and other armed groups continue kidnappings for ransom and attacks on communities.