Northeastern Nigeria Reels After Deadly Airstrikes
Northeastern Nigeria was reeling on Sunday after a wave of military airstrikes in Yobe state reportedly killed more than 200 people, marking one of the deadliest single incidents in the country’s grinding 17-year insurgency.
The attacks, which occurred Saturday, struck multiple locations in Yobe state’s Gujba local government area. Local officials and residents told journalists that the military aircraft targeted what officials described as Boko Haram hideouts, but that civilian structures — including a market and surrounding villages — were caught in the bombardment.
Amnesty International confirmed the strikes Sunday, saying on social media that its researchers had verified credible reports of “more than 100 dead” and at least 35 people seriously wounded. A local chief from the area, speaking to AFP, put the death toll higher — around 200 when combining those killed outright and those who died of their wounds.
The Nigerian armed forces did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for the defense headquarters said the military would issue a statement after an official investigation was concluded.
The incident comes just days after Nigeria’s military reported a major assault on a base in neighboring Borno state that killed an army general and multiple soldiers — one of the highest-ranking officers lost in the conflict. It also follows the conclusion of a mass terrorism trial in the capital Abuja that resulted in more than 300 convictions.
Human rights groups have long accused Nigeria’s military of disproportionate force and civilian harm in its operations. Amnesty has documented a pattern of strikes hitting displacement camps, markets, and civilian gatherings, calling for independent investigations and greater safeguards for non-combatants.
Governor of Yobe state Mai Mala Buni called for an “immediate and thorough” investigation. “The protection of innocent lives must be paramount,” he said in a statement Sunday.
International observers say the military’s aerial campaign has been central to its strategy against insurgent strongholds, but that the cumulative toll on civilian populations — both from militant attacks and military operations — has deepened distrust between security forces and local communities.