Amnesty International has called for an immediate and impartial investigation into the military air strikes that killed dozens of people at Jilli Market near Fuchimiram Village in the Geidam Local Government Area of Yobe State.
“The Nigerian authorities must immediately and impartially investigate the incident and ensure that suspected perpetrators are held to account,” it stated in a post shared on its X handle.
While condemning the incident, the international body alleged that the military action claimed the lives of over 100 people, while the emergency section of Geidam General Hospital had so far received 35 people with severe injuries.
“Witnesses said three military jets fired on the market yesterday. Emergency section of Geidam General Hospital had so far received 35 people with severe injuries.
“Launching air raids is not a legitimate law enforcement method by anyone’s standard. Such reckless use of deadly force is unlawful, outrageous, and lays bare the Nigerian military’s shocking disregard for the lives of those it supposedly exists to protect,” it added.
Several people were feared killed, and others injured, following the air strikes at the market located at a border community with Damasak in Borno State, and over 200 kilometres from Damaturu, the Yobe State capital.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Sunday said it had begun an investigation into claims of civilian casualties during the military operation around the market.
In a statement by the Director of Public Relations and Information, Headquarters, Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, NAF said it “treats all reports of possible civilian harm with the utmost seriousness and empathy”.
“In line with this commitment, the CAS has directed an immediate activation of the Civilian Harm Accident and Investigation Cell (CHAI-Cell) to immediately proceed to the location on a fact-finding mission on the allegation,” the statement read.
The Nigerian Air Force had, in an earlier statement, confirmed mop-up air strikes in the Jilli axis, but did not state whether any civilian casualties were recorded.
