Nigerian airstrike hits market, dozens reported dead
A Nigerian airstrike struck a crowded market in Gubio, killing at least 30 people and injuring others, as authorities defend the operation.
Site of a market in northeastern Nigeria affected by an airstrike. Photo:@NigeriaStories
April 13, 2026 Hour: 5:47 am
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Military says it targeted militants, but strike hit a crowded market, leaving civilians dead and injured.
At least 30 people were killed on Saturday when a Nigerian military airstrike struck a crowded market in Gubio, near the border between Yobe and Borno states, according to local authorities.
The Nigerian Army said the operation targeted what it described as a terrorist enclave. However, multiple reports indicate that the bombs fell on a weekly market operating between Geidam and Gubio, where traders and civilians from surrounding communities had gathered.
According to Sahara Reporters, the strike was aimed at Boko Haram fighters reportedly heading to the market to obtain supplies. Sources cited by Nigerian media said the group was being tracked by military aircraft prior to the attack.
At least 14 people were injured and remain hospitalized.
“I could count 56 bodies and helped rescue two injured people and take them to the hospital. I believe the number of victims could be higher because more bodies are being recovered,” a witness told Sahara Reporters.
Amnesty International condemned the strike and said the death toll at the Jalli Futchimiram Geidam market could exceed 100.
Text Reads: At least 30 people died after an airstrike on a market in northeastern Nigeria, an incident that has raised alarm due to its impact on the civilian population. The bombing, targeting alleged armed groups, ended up hitting numerous residents. (…)🔴 This type of incident adds to other episodes in Nigeria where military operations against insurgent groups have resulted in civilian deaths, amid a persistent security crisis in various regions of the country.
The military defended the operation. Spokesperson Sanni Uba said the site was “a known terrorist and logistics enclave for terrorists and collaborators of Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP).”
“Dozens of terrorists have been neutralized in the attack and their vehicles and equipment destroyed,” he added, stating that intelligence before and after the strike confirmed the “success” of “a careful, well-coordinated, planned and intelligence-driven operation” against a key corridor used by armed groups.
Uba also noted that recent attacks in the region had left eight soldiers dead and several others injured.
Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum backed the military action on Sunday, stating that the market had remained closed for five years.
Author: MK
Source: Agencies
