At least dozens of traders and buyers were killed on Saturday evening when a Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jet reportedly struck Jilli Market in the Fucchimiram Ward of Geidam Local Government Area, near the border with Borno State.

Eyewitnesses described the incident as a tragedy, with unconfirmed reports suggesting the death toll could exceed 200. Bodies were said to be scattered in nearby bushes, while survivors and the injured were evacuated to medical facilities in Damaturu, Geidam General Hospital, and parts of Borno State. Some accounts put the confirmed fatalities at over 50, with at least 14 others hospitalised.

According to preliminary reports, the airstrike occurred as a military jet was pursuing suspected Boko Haram insurgents who had moved into the market area, possibly to collect levies from residents. The strike appears to have missed its intended target, hitting civilians instead.

Jilli is a border community close to Damasak in Borno State, located more than 200 kilometres from Damaturu, the Yobe State capital. The market serves residents from both Yobe and Borno states.As of Sunday, the Nigeria Air Force had not issued an official confirmation or statement on the incident. Emergency response efforts are underway, with local leaders, including the councillor of Jilli Ward, urging residents to donate blood and other essentials to assist victims.

The exact casualty figures remain unclear pending official verification, as access to the remote area is limited and investigations are expected to provide more details in the coming days.

This incident adds to a series of reported accidental civilian casualties linked to counter-insurgency operations in the northeast, where the military continues operations against Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgents.

Authorities have in past similar cases directed hospitals to provide free treatment to the wounded.

Unknown gunmen on Friday night ambushed and killed the traditional ruler of Ochia Awarra Autonomous Community, HRH Eze Barrister Paulinus Ekwueme (also known as Ochia I of Ochia Kingdom), along with four security operatives and others in Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State.

The assailants set the victims’ remains on fire after the attack.

According to eyewitness accounts and reports, the monarch and his entourage were returning from a meeting in his village, Ugama, when gunmen trailed and opened fire on them near Assa Community Primary School, at the boundary between Assa and Ochia communities.

The victims were shot dead and their bodies burnt beyond recognition.

Eze Ekwueme, a barrister, had reportedly just returned to Nigeria from abroad (with some accounts mentioning the United States or Canada, where he had stayed for several years) earlier in the week or on the day of the incident.

His killing has thrown the Awarra Court Area and surrounding communities into mourning and confusion, as residents grapple with the brutal nature of the attack.

Imo State Police Command spokesman Henry Okoye confirmed the incident and stated that security operatives have been deployed to the Awarra Court Area to restore law and order and prevent further breakdown of peace.

The motive behind the attack remains unclear at this time, and no group has claimed responsibility. Police have recovered the burnt remains and launched an investigation into the killings.

This incident adds to concerns over the safety of traditional rulers and escalating insecurity in parts of Imo State and the South-East region.

Community leaders have called for urgent measures to apprehend the perpetrators and address underlying tensions in the area.

A former senatorial candidate in Borno State, Babagana Habeeb, was sentenced on Friday to 10 years in prison for selling petrol to Boko Haram terrorists.

Habeeb, who contested the 2015 election, was convicted by the Federal High Court in Abuja on a one-count charge of aiding and abetting terrorism.

Trial Justice Peter Lifu held that the Federal Government had successfully established its case against him.

The convict, a fuel dealer in Maiduguri, Borno State, admitted in open court that insurgents had obtained fuel from his station, claiming that his attendants had carried out the sales.

He knelt before the court throughout the proceedings, pleading for leniency.

According to Habeeb, he has two wives and six children who depend on him.

He added that he had been unable to see or communicate with any family members for over 10 years while in detention.

The prosecution counsel, Mr. David Kaswe, from the Federal Ministry of Justice, opposed the convict’s plea for leniency.

Kaswe insisted that the logistical support Habeeb rendered to terrorists had led to the deaths of several people and the destruction of homes and properties.

While acknowledging that Habeeb had been in detention for over 10 years, the government lawyer urged the court to impose a 20-year jail term.

He maintained that Boko Haram would not have been able to use their motorcycles to launch attacks on innocent people and escape into the bush without fuel supplies.

In delivering judgment, Justice Lifu held that there was no evidence Habeeb was a Boko Haram member or had received weapons training.

The judge added that the sole accusation against him was the sale of fuel to the terrorists.

Justice Lifu further noted that the Federal Government did not refute Habeeb’s claim of having spent 10 years in pre-trial detention.

Consequently, he sentenced Habeeb to 10 years’ imprisonment, to run from the date of his arrest and detention.

The court ordered Habeeb’s release upon the signing of his release warrant, to enable him to undergo extensive rehabilitation.

(VANGUARD)