Amnesty demands accountability following reckless Military strike on Yobe Market

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

Amnesty International has issued a blistering condemnation of the Nigerian military following a catastrophic air strike in Yobe State that reportedly claimed the lives of over 100 civilians.

The global human rights watchdog described the incident as a “reckless” use of force that underscores a systemic failure to protect innocent lives in the nation’s conflict-torn northeast.

The strike, which occurred in the Jalli Futchimiram area of Geidam local government, reportedly involved three military jets opening fire on a bustling local market.

The aftermath has left the region in a state of humanitarian crisis, with the emergency section of Geidam General Hospital struggling to treat dozens of survivors suffering from life-altering injuries.

In a strongly worded statement released via its Nigerian office, Amnesty International dismissed any justification for the operation, asserting that the deployment of such high-level aerial weaponry in a civilian-populated market is fundamentally indefensible.

“Launching air raids is not a legitimate law enforcement method by anyone’s standard,” the organization 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.”

The group highlighted that while the military often claims to be targeting insurgent groups like Boko Haram or ISWAP, the frequency of “accidental” strikes on civilian targets points to a deeper crisis of accountability within the Nigerian Air Force.

Amnesty’s reaction has amplified calls for the federal government to move beyond routine expressions of “regret.”

The organization is demanding an immediate, transparent, and impartial investigation into the chain of command that authorized the strike.

Key demands from the rights group include an investigation led by parties outside the military to ensure impartiality, ensuring that those responsible for the intelligence failure or the execution of the raid face prosecution and that adequate medical and financial reparations for the 35 severely injured victims and the families of the deceased.

The Yobe incident is the latest in a grim series of “friendly fire” tragedies that have plagued Nigeria’s counter-insurgency efforts.

From the Rann IDP camp bombing in 2017 to more recent strikes in Kaduna and Niger states, Amnesty International warns that the normalization of civilian “collateral damage” is eroding public trust and fueling further instability.