Nigerian air strike hits near market, casualties reported

JILLI, Nigeria — A Nigerian military aircraft struck near a village market in Jilli, Yobe state, on April 11, 2026, with local officials and Amnesty International reporting a large number of casualties.

Local officials said the incident happened as security forces were pursuing Boko Haram militants. Amnesty International also linked the strike to the pursuit and said the attack caused extensive loss of life and injuries among civilians gathered at the market.

Casualty estimates varied across accounts. A local chief reported roughly 200 total casualties, including people killed and injured. The same official said many of the wounded were taken to hospitals in Geidam and Maiduguri for treatment.

Amnesty International said more than 100 people were killed and 35 were injured. The organization condemned the use of air raids as an unlawful method of law enforcement and called for an immediate and impartial investigation, as well as accountability for those responsible.

The Nigerian Air Force confirmed it carried out an air strike against Boko Haram fighters in the Jilli axis of Borno state. It did not acknowledge striking a market. Separately, the Yobe state government said an air strike near a market affected people attending the gathering.

The differing statements left key details unresolved, including the precise location of the strike and the full scale of civilian harm. The accounts also diverged on whether the market itself was hit, even as multiple sources described casualties among marketgoers.