• Up to 200 civilians are reportedly feared dead following a Nigerian airstrike in Jilli village.
• The military was targeting Boko Haram militants but mistakenly hit a busy market.
• Conflicting casualty numbers have been reported, with Amnesty International confirming over 100 deaths.
• The incident has reignited concerns over the Nigerian military's accuracy and accountability in air operations.
• Emergency response teams have been deployed to assess the situation and aid survivors.

On April 11, 2026, a Nigerian military airstrike in Jilli village, located in Yobe State near the border with Borno State, resulted in a devastating toll on civilians, with reports estimating that nearly 200 individuals may have died while they were attending a market. Local officials, including councillor Lawan Zanna Nur Geidam, claimed that the total casualties, dead and injured, could be around 200, with many victims reported as traders and residents caught in the strike, according to BBC, Al Jazeera, and South China Morning Post.

The Nigerian Air Force stated that its operations were aimed at eliminating Boko Haram fighters in the region but notably did not confirm hitting the market. In contrast, Amnesty International condemned the strike and reported that “more than 100 people had been killed and 35 others wounded,” demanding an impartial investigation into the incident, as emphasized by Al Jazeera, South China Morning Post, and Africa News.

The Yobe State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) activated emergency response mechanisms in light of the incident. Reports from health officials indicated that at least 23 injured individuals were receiving treatment at local hospitals, with some cases described as critical. Local sources have expressed discrepancies in casualty figures, with some claiming fatalities in the hundreds while others posted numbers as low as 56, showing the chaos and confusion in the aftermath of the attack, according to BBC, South China Morning Post, and Africa News.

This airstrike highlights an ongoing pattern of deadly errors in military operations targeting Boko Haram and raises serious concerns regarding the protection of civilians. The Nigerian military has acknowledged an investigation into the strike, which reflects a growing scrutiny of air operations within conflict zones that increasingly impact civilian lives, as reported by Al Jazeera, BBC, and Africa News.