By Our man in Borno
YOBE – A weekend of local commerce turned into a scene of unimaginable “carnage” on the border of Borno and Yobe states, as a Nigerian Air Force strike reportedly missed its mark, obliterating a crowded weekly market.
What was supposed to be a precision operation against the radical insurgents of Boko Haram and ISWAP instead rained fire down upon hundreds of innocent traders and families at the bustling Jilli Market.
Witnesses described a scene of absolute horror as fighter jets, operating under the military’s Operation Hadin Kai, soared overhead before releasing their payloads into the heart of the trading hub.
“The explosions tore through everything,” one local official stated. “It was a Saturday; the market was at its peak. People were there to buy food for their families, not to find a war zone.”
Recovery teams working through the debris on Sunday described a grim landscape:
Confirmed Casualties: Initial body counts sat at 56, but local leaders warn the final toll could reach 200.
The Injured: Dozens are fighting for their lives in the Specialist Hospital Geidam, with the most critical cases rushed to the regional capital, Damaturu.
The Scene: Eyewitnesses report bodies scattered across the dust and many victims still buried under the charred remains of market stalls.
Despite the mounting outcry and the devastating scale of the loss, the Nigerian Air Force and Defence Headquarters have remained tight-lipped.
As of Sunday afternoon, no official statement has been released to explain how a mission intended to neutralize terrorists resulted in the mass killing of the very civilians the military is sworn to protect
The border region between Borno and Yobe has long been the “bleeding heart” of Nigeria’s fight against Islamic extremism.
