NANS Slams Nigerian Air Force Over Civilian Deaths After Airstrike Hits Borno–Yobe Market
The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Zone E stakeholders forum, has condemned a recent airstrike by the Nigerian Air Force that reportedly hit a busy market along the Borno–Yobe border, resulting in the deaths of many civilians.
In a statement released on Sunday, the student body described the incident as “tragic, avoidable, and unprofessional,” alleging that the airstrike mistakenly struck Jilli Market, a densely populated weekly trading centre, instead of its intended insurgent targets. According to the forum, as many as 200 people were killed, while dozens more sustained injuries.
The operation was said to have been carried out under Operation Hadin Kai, a military campaign targeting insurgent groups in the North-East, including Boko Haram and the Islamic State West Africa Province.
In the statement signed by its secretary, Zakari Hashim, NANS criticised what it termed lapses in intelligence gathering, target identification, and operational execution, stressing that civilians continue to suffer the consequences of such errors in military actions.
The group warned that recurring incidents of this nature raise serious concerns about the safety of residents in conflict-affected communities.
While commiserating with the families of the victims and those injured, many of whom are currently receiving treatment in hospitals in Geidam and Damaturu, NANS expressed solidarity with residents of the affected areas, particularly in Gubio Local Government Area and Geidam Local Government Area.
Although it acknowledged the efforts of the armed forces in tackling insurgency, the forum emphasised that protecting civilian lives must remain a top priority in all military operations.
NANS further called on the Federal Government, Defence Headquarters, and the Nigerian Air Force to initiate an independent investigation into the incident, ensure compensation for victims, and implement stricter safeguards to prevent a recurrence.
