Several civilians are feared dead after a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) airstrike hit Dilli Market along the Borno–Yobe border on Saturday evening. The market, located in Yobe State near Gubio Local Government Area of Borno State, is a major trading hub serving communities including Giedam, Chibok, Gubio and Benisheikh. The Public Relations Officer of the Yobe State Police Command, Dungus Abdulkarim, confirmed awareness of the incident but stated that casualty figures remain unverified. "We are currently gathering information on what transpired," he said, adding that security agencies are assessing the scene and documentation efforts are ongoing.
Local sources reported the airstrike occurred during a military operation targeting suspected Boko Haram fighters believed to frequent the market to collect levies and supplies. One source in Damaturu said a fighter jet was tracking insurgents but may have missed its intended target. At least 10 people were killed and several others injured, though this has not been officially confirmed. Emergency responders transported the injured to medical facilities in Giedam and Damaturu. The Nigerian Air Force has not issued a statement on the incident.
The silence of the Nigerian Air Force since Saturday's airstrike on Dilli Market speaks volumes, especially when the alleged victims are civilians in a region long battered by both insurgency and military response. The fact that the military has not confirmed or denied involvement, despite reports of at least 10 dead, raises immediate concerns about accountability and transparency in operations within the Northeast.
This incident unfolds in a context where markets like Dilli have become grey zones—economically vital yet vulnerable to both insurgent exploitation and military overreach. If insurgents are indeed collecting levies there, it points to a collapse of state presence, not just security failure. But if a precision operation resulted in civilian casualties, it underscores the high cost of relying heavily on aerial bombardment in densely populated areas.
Ordinary traders, farmers and women who depend on Dilli Market for daily survival now face heightened risk from both armed groups and the very forces meant to protect them. Their livelihoods are caught in a cycle of violence with little recourse or redress.
A pattern is clear: similar incidents in recent years have followed the same trajectory—initial silence, delayed investigations, and minimal public accountability. This is not an anomaly but a recurring feature of counterinsurgency operations in Nigeria's conflict zones.
