Nigeria: 400 unarmed citizens killed by accidental bombing

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has launched a fact-finding investigation following reports that a military airstrike targeting ISWAP terrorists on Saturday mistakenly hit Jilli Market, resulting in the deaths of scores of unarmed civilians

A devastating airstrike by the Nigerian military on Saturday, April 11, 2026, reportedly struck the Jilli Market—a bustling hub located in Yobe State near the Borno State border—killing approximately 50 civilians and leaving dozens more seriously wounded. The military initially maintained that the location was a “legitimate military target,” characterizing Jilli as a known logistics enclave and convergence point for Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters. Lieutenant Colonel Sanni Uba, Media Information Officer for the Northeast Joint Task Force, Operation Hadin Kai, stated on Sunday that the operation followed sustained intelligence and surveillance tracking motorcycles and gun trucks suspected of belonging to terrorists

In the wake of mounting reports detailing the scale of the civilian carnage, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) issued a formal response acknowledging the allegations of a misfire. Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, Director of Public Relations and Information, stated that the NAF “treats all reports of possible civilian harm with the utmost seriousness and empathy, as the protection of innocent lives remains central to all its operations.” To ensure transparency, the Chief of Air Staff has directed the immediate activation of the Civilian Harm Accident and Investigation Cell (CHAI-Cell) to proceed to the location on a fact-finding mission to ascertain the veracity of the claims.

This latest incident in Yobe State underscores a grim trend; since 2017, the Nigerian military has been accused of accidentally killing at least 409 unarmed civilians during operations against bandits and insurgents. From the 2017 Rann IDP camp bombing that killed 115 to the December 2023 Tudun Biri drone strike that claimed 120 lives, the “collateral damage” of the nation’s security efforts continues to draw international scrutiny. While the military often cites intelligence-driven precision, the recurrent loss of life in places like Mutumji, Doma, and now Jilli continues to fuel tension between local communities and the security forces tasked with their protection.

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