Casualty of Yobe mistaken airstrikes rises to 60; Scores of injured persons moved to hospitals in Damaturu
Casualty of Yobe mistaken airstrikes rises to 60; Scores of injured persons moved to hospitals in Damaturu
By Muhammed Sule
Casualty from a mistaken airstrikes by the Nigerian Air force of a village market in Yobe State suspected to be harbouring some terrorists, have risen to over 60.
A military jet on Saturday hit a market at Jilli village located in Geidam Local Government of the state.
Some survivors who are residents of Geidam, headquarters of the local government told newsmen that the military may have traced some terrorists to the market before dropping bombs.
“The military jet may have followed some terrorists from the bush to the market and mistaken all of us at the market then as terrorists”, said Saleh Idrissa who sustained injury.
Sources in the area said more corpses were discovered at the scene hours after the airstrikes, pushing the death toll from the initial 50 requested to over 60 people’.
Dozens of injured victims evacuated from the scene were brought to the Yobe Specialist Hospitals in Damaturu, Yobe State capital and Geidam in about 10 buses on Saturday.
Yobe State government is yet to officially issue a reaction to the tragic incident.
The Nigeria Air force (NAF) however in a statement on Sunday, said its airstrikes killed scores of terrorists and destroyed their hideouts in Born
NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, Air Commodore Ehimen Ejodame, said the air strikes were conducted on Saturday, April 11 by the air component of the Joint Task Gorce Northeast Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) as part of the counter-terrorism operations in the area.
Ejodame said the strikes targeted fleeing terrorists and “regrouping elements” following an earlier successful engagement that decimated their positions in the area.
“The follow-up strikes were executed based on credible intelligence and in close coordination with ground forces to deny terrorists freedom of movement and prevent further attacks.
“The operation formed part of a broader air-ground integration effort aimed at consolidating earlier gains recorded by friendly forces”, the spokesman disclosed.
He explained that the strikes “effectively disrupted terrorist activities within the Jilli axis”. He said the area is a known enclave exploited by insurgents due to its difficult terrain.
“The NAF will continue to sustain momentum in ongoing operations to protect innocent lives, secure communities and restore lasting peace in the region”, he added.
Jilli is located along Yobe’s border with Borno.
