No fewer than 56 people are feared dead and several others injured after a suspected airstrike hit a weekly market along the Yobe-Borno border on Saturday, April 11, 2026.

The incident occurred at Jilli Market, also referred to as Dilli Market, located between Gubio Local Government Area of Borno State and Geidam Local Government Area of Yobe State. The market serves traders and residents from nearby communities including Gubio, Chiweram, Benisheikh, Gurokayeya, and Geidam.

Eyewitnesses said the strike happened around 2:46 p.m. while business activities were ongoing. One resident who spoke on condition of anonymity said four fighter jets carried out the attack, though the fourth jet was not clearly visible. The witness said he counted 56 corpses and helped rescue two injured people, adding that the casualty figure may rise as more bodies were still being recovered.

The councillor for Fichimaram Ward in Geidam LGA, Malam Lawan Zanna, confirmed the attack and said over 30 people had been killed as of the time he spoke. He stated that more than 20 victims were hospitalized in Geidam, two were referred to the Teaching Hospital in Damaturu, and nine of those receiving treatment had died, bringing the death toll to over 30. Another councillor, Lawan Zanna Nur Geidam, told Reuters that over 200 people were feared dead.

The Public Relations Officer of the Yobe State Police Command, Dungus Abdulkarim, said authorities were aware of the incident and gathering information. He noted that security agencies were on the ground assessing the situation and that casualty figures were still being verified.

The Special Adviser to the Yobe State Governor on Security Matters, Brigadier General Abdulsalam Dahiru (rtd), said Jilli village falls under Gubio LGA of Borno State. The Yobe State government earlier said an air strike on the area had been conducted near a market where shoppers and vendors had gathered.

Local sources said the operation was believed to be part of a military offensive targeting suspected Boko Haram insurgents who were reportedly visiting the market to collect levies and gather supplies. Witnesses said the strike missed its intended target and hit civilians during peak trading hours.

The Nigerian Air Force confirmed it conducted “precision follow-up mop-up airstrikes on identified terrorist locations within the Jilli axis of Borno State on April 11, 2026”. In a statement by Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, NAF said the mission was part of a coordinated air-ground operation with the Nigerian Army under Operation HADIN KAI, targeting fleeing insurgents and regrouping cells. The statement did not reference civilian casualties.

Separately, NAF said it had activated its Civilian Harm Accident and Investigation Cell to proceed to the location on a fact-finding mission following reports of possible civilian harm.

Injured victims were taken to Geidam Specialist Hospital and other facilities for treatment. Amnesty International said it strongly condemned the strike and that witnesses reported three military jets fired on the market. The organization said the emergency section of Geidam General Hospital had received 35 people with severe injuries.

The exact number of deaths remains unclear as security operatives and emergency responders continue assessments.