Amnesty International's Nigerian office has voiced strong condemnation regarding a military airstrike that occurred on Saturday, resulting in the deaths of civilians at a market located near the border in the North-east region.
The human rights group stated on the social media platform X that the accidental strike led to the demise of more than 100 individuals.
PREMIUM TIMES had previously reported that the Nigerian Air Force acknowledged the incident but remained silent on the reported civilian fatalities.
Sources indicate that the airstrike was aimed at insurgents who were collecting levies at a market in Jalli, a community in Yobe State adjacent to Borno State. The incident, which occurred on Saturday evening, resulted in the deaths of traders.
Witness accounts cited by Amnesty suggest that three military jets were involved in firing upon the market.
"The emergency ward of Geidam General Hospital has so far received 35 individuals with severe injuries," Amnesty reported, emphasizing that "launching air raids is not a legitimate law enforcement method by anyone’s standard."
The organization further stated, "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."
Amnesty International has called upon Nigerian authorities to initiate an immediate and impartial investigation into the event and to ensure that those found responsible are held accountable.
Local officials have appealed for blood donations to assist those injured during the strike.
In a separate statement, the Nigerian Air Force described the airstrike as a "precision" operation targeting terrorist strongholds in the Jilli area. Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, the spokesperson for the NAF, stated that the operation was part of a coordinated effort with Nigerian Army troops to neutralize terrorist bases.
Ejodame's statement did not acknowledge any civilian deaths, and he did not respond to PREMIUM TIMES' inquiries regarding this matter.
Comments (0)
You must be logged in to comment.
Be the first to comment on this article!